Track Season
by The Wykkyd
Summary: Sora has always been an unidentified mystery. But when when the spring track season starts and Sora’s friends begin to delve into his secrets, Sora finds that no matter how fast you run, you can never leave your problems behind. RikuSora child abuse
1. The Start Of A Season

**Disclaimer**: I do not claim to own any characters used in this story, and I do not claim to own any other subject that belongs to Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy (Square Enix)

**Rating**: 'M' For language, sexual themes (just to be safe), and disturbing/mature themes.

**Warning**: _This story contains slash_, and quite a bit of it at that. I'm featuring a Riku/Sora relationship, as well as Axel/Roxas, Cloud/Leon, and _maybe_ Demyx/Zexion—not sure about that one though. This story also contains scenes with child abuse—DO NOT READ THIS if you can't stand that kind of thing.

**Summary**: Sora, the Destiny High track team's star runner, has always been an unidentified mystery. The son of a famous track star, Roy Atari, Sora has grown up knowing he wants to run. But now, when the spring track season starts up and Sora's friends are beginning to delve into his secrets, Sora finds that no matter how fast you run, you can never leave your problems in the dust.

**A/N**: Alright! I actually wasn't planning on posting this until about a month from now (when school gets out), but I'm lacking in inspiration for this story and I'm hoping you guys could do away with my writers' block (review…comment…leave a note…hint hint…). Anyway, this started out as a challenge from my old writing 'tutor'-type-thing (write about a character in traumatic circumstances) and as a challenge from my friend (write a story in a fandom that you aren't directly involved in). So, I picked the traumatic theme 'abuse', and my fandom is Kingdom Hearts. After a lot of research on characters and settings, this is what came out! AU, of course, because KH is _complicated_—and high school is so much more fun to write. (For a bit more on the idea behind this story, check out my profile). I apologize in advance about any errors in this chapter; if you catch one, feel free to let me know about it.

About updates: they probably won't be regular; weekly or biweekly or anything like that. They will be when I have time. Enjoy chapter one of Track Season!

Also, I'm searching for a beta for this story, so if anyone is interested, PM me and I'll get back to you about it.

* * *

**Track Season**

**The Start of a Season**

Riku jumped in place as he tied his shoulder-length silvery hair back into a low ponytail. A headache was coming on, he could feel pressure begin to build at his temples, but with a bit of luck it wouldn't stay for long. It was a short practice for the team anyway because they had a meet the next day and the coach didn't want to strain anyone.

"Riku! Warm up, stretch out! We don't have all day, ya?" Coach Wakka yelled from the bleachers near the track. Turning his head he saw several other team members talking in groups, walking around the track. He blew a sharp blast on his whistle. "Listen up, everyone!" He yelled, bringing the kids over to him. "We've got our first meet of the season tomorrow, and if you're not going to show up today and _run your asses off_, we won't be going. Take the mile." Groans of protest arose from the kids.

"Come _on,_ Coach, lighten up," Zexion whined, bending over to place his hands as close to his feet as he could get them. Coach Wakka pushed down on his back, not relenting until the boy's hands were pressed flat on the ground.

"Better. Now get up and _run_! That goes for all of you!" Wakka yelled. His team grumbled a bit more, but jogged onto the track and took off, their feet pounding the black surface at a steady rhythm. The orange-haired coach leaned back against the bleachers and watched the kids as they ran. In the lead was Axel, the team's best sprinter, and also the most aggressive member. Just behind him was Namine, another good sprinter with a fierce disposition to prove herself; which she had, in Wakka's mind. Right behind her was Riku, his star runner. Wakka wasn't one to show favorites, but he knew that if he allowed himself to do it, Riku would be the kid who got the most attention from him. The tall, athletic boy specialized in distance running, but didn't generally take an event that ran over two miles. He wasn't bad in the sprint department, although Axel still took the cake in those events. But everything else, Riku owned. Even now, Wakka could see Riku pass Namine with little effort, his feet picking up the pace a bit to run along side Axel. Axel, being the sprinter he was, didn't care about pacing himself for the mile. He was as stubborn as teenage kids come, but knew how to train for his events, and that training didn't include pacing himself. This meant that in about two laps Axel would pretty much be done, often times coming in with the slowest groups of kids. Riku, on the other hand, normally came in first. His competitive streak out-shone Namine's and Tidus's added together, only matched by Axel's aggressive competitiveness. _God that kid reminds me of when I was his age,_ Wakka thought as Riku ran past him, finished with one lap around the track, Namine a few paces behind him.

Twilight Town High's track coach put his gaze on the other members of his traveling team. Olette, a freshmen, who ran well although not especially well; Zexion, the quiet sixteen-year-old kid who only ran track because he wanted to stay in shape for cross country; Tidus; Yuffie and her friend Tifa, both sophomores; Pence, Olette's older brother by two years, who was a powerhouse of energy, and finally: Paine, the gothic, sarcastic girl who Wakka didn't like at all. The only reason she was running was because of her mother, who wanted her to do at least one sport per year. _Why pick_ trackWakka complained silently, watching her jog around the track with a scowl on her face. In total, Wakka had ten kids on his team, a good, solid number. Not too many to transport; enough that they could generally have a kid in every running event.

"Wakka." A low, unintentionally sultry voice ran through the humid air and Wakka turned, one brow raised to his assistant coach.

"Leon, how are ya man?" Wakka greeted the tall man with dark brown hair with a smile and a wave. "Just sent 'em on the mile. They're down two laps." Leon nodded, taking a seat next to Wakka and setting his bag down on the ground in-between his feet.

"Brought you your uniforms for those kids. Not bad ones, I guess," Leon stated. Wakka unzipped the bag with anticipation and pulled out the jersey on top of the pile. They were simple, but bold: a bright green strip ran down the center of the tank-styled white jersey, showing off Twilight Town High's team colors well.

"Riku's going to be pissed," Leon commented, taking a look at the jersey in Wakka's hands.

"Why?" The coach asked, putting the jersey down and pulling out a pair of white track shorts.

"The white's going to make his hair look grey."

"His hair _is_ grey, ya."

"It's silver. Not grey. Don't ever let him hear you say that, by the way," Leon stated, a spark of amusement showing in his eyes but not transmitting to the rest of his face. Wakka shrugged and set the uniform back in the box.

"Get out there and get those lazy-ass kids _moving_, Leon," The orange-haired man ordered, once again looking out at his team. Leon got up without a word and walked over to the edge of the track.

"Last one in does an extra lap!" He yelled, his voice booming over the field. Leon smirked in satisfaction as everyone seemed to run a bit faster. He turned back to Wakka. "So…who's going to be at the meet tomorrow?" Wakka grabbed a clipboard off the bleachers and ran his eyes over it.

"Lets see…we've got the Traverse Town team, team from Hollow Bastion, Halloween Town's team—creepy kids, I tell ya—the Wonderland team, the team from Neverland, and the team from…Destiny Islands," Wakka finished, looking back up at Leon, who was nodding contemplatively.

"So…Halloween Town, Wonderland and Neverland can't run for their lives, so we only have to worry about Traverse town, Hollow Bastion, and Destiny Islands. Not bad. Our kids'll do well," Leon commented, running a large hand through his chin-length hair.

"Our kid's are gonna do great, ya!" Wakka cried.

"If they can pull through Destiny," Leon stated, meaning that the Twilight Town team would have some tough competition coming from Destiny Islands. Wakka knew this already, after all, he _had_ grown up running with that team. Even though that had been ten years ago, Cid was still coaching, and Cid was a damn good coach. Hallow Bastion was also a high competitor; last year they had smashed through all the sprint records, although Axel was right there with them. Leon himself grew up there, ran with the team, and knew about the coach, who he didn't get along with at all. 'Hatred', was a better word for that. Sephiroth had a bad reputation among all the coaches for telling his kids to win to matter what the cost. He _encouraged_ kids to cheat, and more than once, one of his team members had beaten the shit out of a competitor, just so they could win.

"Hey, we've got Riku, Axel, Tidus, Yuffie and Tifa with us. They're going to bring _something _in for our team tomorrow. Always do, man," Wakka said optimistically. Sometimes Leon just needed to chill out. "Have a little faith."

"Did you know Cid got a new assistant coach?" Leon asked a moment later, his dark blue eyes following Riku who was ahead of the pack by about ten feet. Wakka shook his head. "Pretty good runner I guess. Had a contract with a big team for a while until he got in a fight and screwed up his knee. Originally came from Hollow Bastion."

"Sounds a bit like your story to me, ya?" Wakka mentioned. Leon shrugged.

"I never had a contract."

"You should have. You were a damn good runner, ya know? Had a lot goin' for ya."

"Accidents happen. It's in the past, I'm over it anyway."

"You know that wasn't an accident, Leon. Everyone knows it. You should have gone to court when you had the chance," Wakka advised. Leon sighed.

"I didn't a lawsuit back then. I would have died from the stress," The brown-haired runner said.

"Sure, but you would'a died rich," The coach commented with a loud laugh. A small smile worked its way onto Leon's face. "Come on, let's bring these kids in, have 'em _really_ start runnin'." The two men stood up and walked over to the track where the team was gathered, most drinking water from large water bottles and some lying on the ground gasping for air.

"Not bad, tots, take a breather while I name you off for events. If I get something wrong, just let me know, ya?" Wakka said, flipping several pages on his clipboard over until he came to the list of events and names beside them. "Okay, we've got Riku, running the eight-hundred and sixteen-hundred; Axel, running the one-hundred, two-hundred and four-hundred, Namine—"

"Sorry, Coach, I can't make it. I have to stay home with my sis over the weekend. Sorry," Namine apologized, chewing on one lip nervously.

"Don't worry 'bout it, ya? We'll see you Monday. Anyway…Olette: two-hundred and four-hundred; Zex, you're pinned up for—"

"Zex_ion_, Coach," The slate-haired teen said with a hint of annoyance. Wakka nodded absently and continued.

"Fine, you're running the five-thousand _only_. The sixteen-hundred's right after the five-thousand, so you can't compete in that event at this meet," Impressed whistles rose up from the members of the track team, Riku patted his friend on the back. Zexion had started running the previous year on the cross-country team, and had immediately established himself as a hard-core distance runner. Now that cross country was over, Zexion got himself on the track team, in order to stay in shape for a bit longer. Wakka brought attention back into focus a moment later, "Tidus: one-hundred and two-hundred; Yuffie: eight-hundred and fifteen-hundred; Tifa, you've got the four-hundred and the eight-hundred; Pence: one-hundred and four-hundred; and Paine, you're up there for the eight-hundred. Are you even going?" Paine shrugged.

"Mom says I have too," The girl with light brown hair stated with a roll of her eyes. Wakka nodded and jotted her name back on the list. "Alright, our relay team for the four by one-hundred is, in order of your running order: Tidus, Riku, Pence, and Axel. Leon, take 'em through a short exercise, then they can get home. I'm gonna go organize the names and events for tomorrow. Guys, be here tomorrow and nine am sharp, ya?" Wakka told them after handing Leon a page of notes and giving the team a cheery smile before walking off the track and heading down to his office at the school. Leon bent over slightly, putting his hands on his knees and looking up at the kids once before looking down at the paper Wakka had given him.

"You guys are in high school, I'm not babysitting you. Take fifteen minutes, no more no less, to train individually for your own events. Axel, Wakka wants you to run your four-hundred, get that done sometime today. Let's see…Riku, take four-hundred meters sometimes today, but run it like the first part of your eight-hundred, and work on your hundred-meter sprint for the relay. We'll be doing blind starts tomorrow, just so you know. Tifa and Yuffie, Wakka left a note that says you two should run your eight-hundred. Everyone else, be responsible and use this time to be productive. If I see anyone slacking, you'll be running a mile, _with me_," Leon stated. The kids who were lying on the ground scrambled to their feet, set their watches to 'stopwatch' mode, and took off. No one wanted to run the mile with Leon. Even with an injury, Leon could still run short distances, a mile being the most he would normally run. Still, his injured knee was plenty to ensure that he could never run professionally, which had been his dream for years. Now, he had set his sights on becoming a coach, either for Twilight Town High, or Hallow Bastion High: whichever would give him a job.

Leon sat back down on the bleachers, watching the team run around the track. Tomorrow would be their first meet of the season, after two months of training. He expected Riku, Axel, Zexion, and Tidus to do very well, in comparison to some of the other kids. Namine was a good runner, but she had joined the team later on, and hadn't had as much time to train. Still, by the end of the season, both Leon and Wakka expected she would be a top contender as far as the girls went. She could be good someday. Still, Riku and Axel were the stars of the team, and both of them knew it. Axel was one of the best sprinters in the state, and Riku was one of the fastest middle-distance runners in the state as well. Leon and Wakka were also proud of their relay team; practically undefeated last year. _Yes, _Leon thought, _this is going to be a great season._

* * *

And there is the introductory chapter. Just to introduce you to the characters, their personalities, and roles in my story. You may be wondering where the 'field' part of 'track and field' is, so here's your answer: it's gone. I'm really just going to stick with the track events for this story. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!

I'd love it if I didn't suffer from writers' block anymore…so please leave a comment for me. Suggestions and ideas are welcome!

The Wykkyd


	2. Perfect Child

**A/N**: Thanks for waiting patiently guys. Me and me new, super-fabulous beta (Riku-stalker) were working out a few details and problems. Here's the first Sora-centric chapter, and from now on the chapters will be longer than the first introductory chapter. Good news! Writer's block disappeared enough for me to write out another two chapters! (I discovered that putting drama in there makes it really fun to write…but you'll have to wait a while for those chapters!)

I've decided to put Zexion/Demyx in the story thanks to a few requests!

For details on this story (rating, warnings, summary…etc…) check out the first chapter. I won't be posting them in every chapter from now on.

**Track Season**

**Perfect Child**

"Sora! _Get up_!" A man's voice yelled from downstairs; shocking Sora into a sitting position, with covers strewn everywhere.

"Coming," He yelled back groggily, throwing his slender legs over the bed and standing up. Two minutes later, Sora bounced down the stairs wearing a pair of black and silver basketball shorts with a baggy black t-shirt, his hair slightly less messy, and carrying a change of clothes for later.

"Hurry it up, son. We're running this morning. Get your schoolbooks packed and set your pack near the door. You can grab it on the way to school," Sora's father looked up at him with stern grey eyes. "_Get going_," He said firmly after a moment's hesitation on his blue-eyed son's part. Sora put his gaze on the floor and went to do as his father asked.

"Where's mom?" The brown-haired teen wondered aloud.

"At an early-morning meeting; which I should be at as well," Mr. Atari exclaimed with bitterness, tying up his running sneakers. Sora silently threw his books in his backpack, as well as the dry set of clothes and set it on the couch.

"Can I grab some breakfast?" He asked in a small voice. His father turned to him.

"Sora, I'm late as it is. I'm going to run for an hour with you, and then shower and take you to school. Eat breakfast at school today." Sora sighed and grabbed his track shoes, lacing them up tight, and grabbing a light windbreaker. He glanced outside at the weather. Rain. _Shit,_ Sora swore as he remembered last night's overcast weather. He switched coats to a waterproof one that wouldn't be too heavy for a morning jog.

Sora appreciated what his dad was doing for him, all these morning runs, but sometimes he just wanted a morning off. He was sore from yesterday's track practice, and he wanted to get his legs stretched out before tomorrow so he wasn't sore for the meet. _Maybe I'll be able to skip practice today, _the teen thought, following his father out the door, and locking the house behind him.

"Let's go, son. Good, strong pace. Keep up," Mr. Atari ordered as he started jogging down the street, leaving Sora to catch up.

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"Please dad, at least give me a water break." Sora begged, doubled over and gasping for breath.

"You ran slow today, Sora; we're fifteen minutes behind schedule. I need a shower, and I can't drive you. Best get a move on; I will not tolerate you being late to school. If I get a tardy call at work today, we'll be having a talk tonight. Get in there, and get your pack. _Now_." Sora paused for a moment, wondering if he could grab a shower in the school locker rooms. "How thick are you? _Go_," Mr. Atari commanded, pushing Sora roughly up to the door. The sophomore unlocked the door and ran inside to the couch, where he had left his backpack.

"Bye dad, I'll see you after practice," Sora mumbled.

"God dammit, Sora! You could at _least_ wipe your shoes off before tracking mud everywhere," Sora's father yelled, running a hand through his wet, brown hair. "Clean it up after practice, Catherine and I will be home late tonight. Get out of here." A large hand shot out, hitting the back of Sora's head and slamming it into the door. The blue-eyed teen cried out, just catching himself before he fell. He could hear Mr. Atari's angry footsteps going up the stairs and took a moment to recover before standing up and racing out of the house. His watch read eight-fifteen, which meant that if he sprinted to school he would have time to shower before going to his first class of the day. Quickly, he grabbed a baseball cap out of his backpack and shoved it on his head to hide the large bruise that would show up in a few moments. _Well, at least he's home late tonight. That's a plus_. Sora thought as he began running down the sidewalk to Destiny Island High School.

Ten minutes later Sora panted into the locker rooms, threw down his bag and stripped down. He left his sopping-wet clothes on the bench, grabbed someone's towel that was hanging out of their locker, and entered the shower room. As he knew by now, no one was ever in the showers before school, so he didn't need to worry about being seen. As he rinsed rainwater and sweat off of him; Sora traced the large bruises that covered his chest. Some were a dark purple, and some were lighter shades: blue, green, sickly yellow. _And people wonder why I never take my shirt off in track_. Sora joked to himself, turning the water off and grabbing the towel.

"Sora! Sora, are you in here?" A voice called from the door, surprising the petite teen in a towel. Sora drew the fuzzy cloth up to his shoulders before answering.

"Yeah, Roxas, I am. I'll be out in a sec." Presently, a short boy with blonde hair and blue eyes, that were a shade darker than Sora's walked into view, leaning casually against a tiled wall.

"What the hell happened to your head?" He asked bluntly, staring at the large bruise on Sora's forehead. The brown-haired teen's hand flew to his injury.

"Oh…uh…I tripped over my shoelace and hit my head on the door. You know me…" He said, wishing he were better at lying. Roxas looked at Sora's head for moment before sighing.

"Right. You might want to get the nurse to check that out, it's starting to bleed I think," Roxas suggested. Sora shrugged it off.

"No time. I've only got five minutes before first period."

"Can't you _ever_ be late?" Roxas asked, laughing.

Sora smiled a bit in response to Roxas's rhetorical question and grabbed his clothes, still concealing his marked torso, and slipped inside one of the bathroom stalls to change. He could hear Roxas laughing at his antics.

"What?" Sora yelled defensively, grinning all the same.

"Sora, you're the most modest guy I've _ever_ known! Exposing your chest for thirty seconds isn't going to get you molested, you know," The blonde commented, still laughing. Sora scowled playfully, even knowing that Roxas couldn't see him. To get his best friend off his back for the moment, Sora yanked his shirt over his wet hair and let it settle over his torso, pulling his baggy jeans on as well. Shaking the excess water from his hair, he stepped out of the stall, dragging the towel behind him on the floor.

"I hope the person who owns this towel doesn't mind too much that I used it…" Sora commented.

"Screw it, they'll live. Grab your stuff and let's go. You should really get your head checked out," Roxas stated, handing Sora his backpack and baseball cap. Sora took it with a smile and slipped his feet into his shoes, which were still soaked from the run. The two petite boys walked out of the lockers side-by-side, heading in the direction of the nurse's office.

"Roxas, I really can't be late for class. First period…Xigbar…I _really can't _be late," Sora emphasized, remembering what his father had told him just a half hour ago. "I don't need the nurse to look at this," He said, pointing to his head, "It's just a bruise. It'll be gone by tomorrow. I bruise easily, that's all. Nothing serious." Roxas rolled his eyes, and kept walking forward. The one-minute warning bell rang through the halls just then, making Sora's eyes go wide. "Listen, Roxas, I can't be late today, okay? I'll see you in science. Sorry." Sora's runner's legs carried him down the hall in a flash, throwing his backpack into a corner and sprinting up the stairs. Roxas traced his friend's tracks back to his backpack, picked it up and walked it down the empty hall to Sora's locker._ I'll have to grab my Literature textbook from here before I head to class. _He thought, unzipping his friend's backpack and rifling through it for the borrowed textbook. _He didn't bring his lunch again. _Roxas noted absently, as he grabbed his textbook and hoisted it out, unlocking Sora's locker and shoving the pack inside.

"Hey, don't shut that! This fell out," Someone called from behind Roxas. The blonde turned to find a tall, tan girl with blonde hair holding out a small, round container.

"Oh, hey Rikku," Roxas greeted, taking the object and putting it back in Sora's backpack.

"Why are you carrying concealer around?" Rikku questioned, peering at Roxas's face in search of blemishes.

"It's not mine, its Sora's. But I don't know why he needs it either…" Roxas answered, pulling his head back from the girl's scrutinizing inspection and slamming his friend's locker shut. "I'm heading to class. See you at lunch."

"Great, you can help me with my pre-calc homework!" Rikku cried, throwing a wave over her shoulder. _I'm not even _taking_ that class! Sophmore…remember?_ Roxas thought, rolling his eyes and trudging down the hall. He had literature class now…literature was _such _a waste of time.

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Sora changed into his running shorts after school, and then headed out to the track, which was just behind the building. He could see the spiky, blonde hair of the assistant coach, Cloud Strife, who was also Roxas's older brother, just peeking over the bleachers.

"Hey Cloud," He called, setting his backpack down on the grass.

"Ready to run?" Cloud asked with a flicker of a smile. Sora nodded a bit and bent over, trying to stretch out his sore hamstrings before doing any actual running. "Sore?" Cloud asked knowingly.

"Yeah. I ran this morning. Didn't have time to stretch out."

"In this weather?" Cloud asked, waving his hand to the sky, which was brimming with dark clouds. The man's blue eyes lit on the purple bruise on Sora's pale forehead for a moment, eyeing it suspiciously.

"At least it stopped raining," Sora said, just as Roxas and Demyx bounded up the hill to stand by him. "Hey guys," Sora greeted.

"Hey!" Demyx shouted over the cacophony coming from his headphones. The rest of the selected team members showed up in small groups. Sora's other best friend, Kairi, her friend Selphie, Rikku and Hayner, Reno, Rude—who wasn't really running this season because he strained his hamstring—and last of all, Siefer. Kairi, Roxas, and Sora had grown up down the street from each other, until Kairi moved into another section of town. There, her new neighbor was Selphie, and the two girls became fast friends. Sora gave the two of them a wave, and moved over to where they were stretching out on the infield.

"Hi! Ready for the meet tomorrow?" He asked, his voice brimming with excitement. Both girls smiled brightly and nodded.

"You bet, Sora!" Kairi exclaimed. "Is you dad gonna come with us?" She asked. Sora paused.

"Um…yeah. I think. I mean, he came to all our meets last year, so he's probably coming to all of them this year too. But I'm not really sure, he never—"

"Okay, Sora. We get it. He's probably coming, but might not," Selphie said, making Sora blush a bit. They're conversation was interrupted by Cloud calling them all in.

"Let's go guys! Cid won't be here for a bit; he's filing your names and events into the system and getting them over to Wakka. So…let's go over tomorrow real quick. Where are we going?"

"Twilight Town High School!" Several kids chorused. Cloud nodded.

"Where are we meeting tomorrow morning, and at what time?"

"The docks, at eight o'clock," Sora answered quietly. The small, brown-haired boy felt someone's elbow jabbing into his ribs and looked up to see Hayner.

"You okay, kid?" The junior asked.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Sora said, a worried expression passing over his face. Hayner turned back to Cloud, who had started confirming events.

"You're not as frickin' _bouncy_ today," He answered with a smirk. Sora rolled his eyes.

"It's cloudy. Clouds are depressing."

"Whatever, Mr. Sunshine," Hayner teased. Sora scowled and looked to the assistant coach when he called Sora's name.

"Um…what was that?" Sora asked, looking embarrassed.

"Sora, you're not even paying attention are you?" Cloud asked with a tone of exasperation. "Never mind, don't answer that. I'm _trying _to confirm your events. You've got the four-hundred, the eight-hundred, the fifteen-hundred, and the sixteen-hundred. That good?" Sora smiled and saluted his answer. Cloud marked his name off, an odd, tight-lipped expression on his face, and continued down the list. "Kairi: four-hundred and eight-hundred; Roxas: five-thousand; Demyx: one and two-hundred sprints, Siefer, you've got the same events as Demyx…Rikku: fifteen-hundred; Hayner: fifteen and sixteen-hundred. Rude…you're still not running…okay. That's everyone. No changes? Good. Our relay team's racing the four by four-hundred: Reno's running first, Siefer second, Demyx third, and Sora last. That's it. Take a warm-up mile, then we'll split up into long distance and sprint. Get out there guys." The team moved to the track, putting their water bottles down near the edge and taking off. "Sora!" Cloud called just before the boy set his watch and started. "I need to talk to you about something." An apprehensive expression crept into the short boy's face.

"Yeah Cloud?" He asked, walking over to the blonde-haired man.

"You realize you're running in _five_ events? Two short distance, three middle distances?" Sora nodded. "I'm asking you to consider dropping two." Sora glanced at the others, who were now two-hundred meters down the track. He didn't say anything, but the look on his face told Cloud he wasn't considering. The blonde sighed. "Sora, you're a great runner. Really. But running a total of four-thousand, seven-hundred meters is pushing it. You'll kill yourself."

"No I won't! I can't drop an event!" Sora exclaimed, looking up at the assistant coach with pleading eyes.

"Why not?"

"Because…because my dad wants me to do all of them." Sora turned his gaze on his shoes, his voice lowering considerably. Cloud looked at him.

"Would it help if I discussed it with your father?"

"No. He said it'll be good for me to run all of them. I don't want to let him down, really. I'll be okay tomorrow, I promise."

"Yes, but will you race your best after running so much? I'm worried about your performance as well as your muscles," Cloud said, putting a hand on Sora's shoulder. The blue-eyed sophomore looked up.

"I'm going to do it. I'll run all five. No problem," Sora said, his eyes sparking with determination.

"I'll let it go for now. But if it's too much for you tomorrow, you'll have to cut down for the next meets, okay?" Sora beamed and nodded vigorously, his spiky hair becoming even more messy. Cloud gave a small smile and motioned for Sora to join the others on the track. The small teen dashed off on light feet, meeting the group at the start of their second lap around the track. Cid walked up to stand next to Cloud, sunglasses over his eyes and a cigarette held lightly in-between his lips.

"Any changes in events?" Cloud shook his head. "And you talked to Sora about dropping an event?" Cloud nodded. "Well…?" Cid prompted.

"He refused. Doesn't want to let Mr. Atari down." Cid laughed.

"I tell ya, those parents of his must love him to death. He's the perfect kid."

"Too perfect," Cloud commented slowly, earning him a strange look from Cid.

"Well, he's got his name to live up to, that's for sure. Roy Atari was an amazing runner back in his prime. I raced him a few times. Choked on his dust the whole time."

"I can imagine. Look's like Sora's taking after him," Cloud said.

"Kid's pretty amazing, yeah. Roy sure works him hard though. You know they go running together every morning?"

"Yeah. It think it's ridiculous. It was pouring this morning and Sora was out there for an hour, maybe more. You run on cold muscles, you get sore. Atari should know that. I think Sora needs a break every once in a while." Cloud said darkly, his blue eyes watching the brown-haired boy running ahead of the group. Cid shrugged.

"He's doin' fine. Sora's tough. He's lucky to have so much support from his father. I hope he knows that." Now it was Cloud's turn to shrug. Both coaches fell silent for a bit, until Cid spoke again.

"So…you know about Squall Leonhart, right?"

"Yeah, I've heard of him. Injured now, right?"

"Yep. He's Wakka's new assistant."

"Oh, I'll meet him tomorrow then."

"Didn't you grow up in Hollow Bastion together?" Cid asked.

"Not really. We went to different schools, ran on different teams. I don't remember much of him now…" Cloud answered. Cid nodded his head, taking his sunglasses off and putting them on his head. Cloud took a seat on the bleachers.

"You know what Cloud?" Cloud grunted in response. "I think this season's gonna be a good one." Cloud looked up at Cid, and then trained his eyes on Sora. He shrugged.

* * *

Thanks for reading, everyone! I'd love to hear any thoughts, opinions, or ideas you have for my story.

-Wykkyd


	3. First Impressions

**A/N**: Hello again everyone! A special thanks to all my reviewers. I appreciate you all much more than you know. Thanks a million and one!

Beta credit goes to Riku-stalker—the amazingly efficient and wonderful beta!

For details on this story (rating, warnings, summary…etc…) check out the first chapter.

**

* * *

**

**Track Season**

**First Impressions**

Riku milled around in the crowd of athletes, picking out the different teams by their colors. He recognized Halloween Town easily, wearing their black, purple, and orange uniforms, and he spotted Neverland: white, pink, and green. Traverse town was represented by brown and blue, Hollow Bastion by purple and grey, and Wonderland by white and red. That left Destiny Islands…The group often got there just on time, because of the ferry schedule they had to comply with in order to get over to the mainland. Riku remembered their team having a few good runners; kids who would at least give him some competition. Last year he knew that he had been beaten several times by a short kid with brown hair, although he hadn't paid too much attention to him because the kid was only a freshman.

The boy with silver hair could feel the eyes of girls and guys alike following him around surreptitiously, but so many years of this had made him immune to it. He had dabbled here and there with actual girlfriends and boyfriends, but most were really just fooling around with someone else for fun. Nothing there, really. Just lips, tongues and hands. Riku didn't mind it that way; getting caught up with someone was…boring. Why pick one guy, when you could have three that week?

"Hey Riku, pick anyone out yet?" Axel asked as he came up to him, a joking lilt to his voice. Riku smiled.

"Not yet, but you never know, not everyone's here." He replied; his eyes amused.

"Oh, so you're waiting for a Destiny kid, then?" Axel teased, punching his friend in the arm playfully. Riku punched him back.

"Well, because you're so nice, have _you _picked anyone out yet?" Axel often played the same games as Riku, which rarely even went anywhere, although Riku was pretty sure that Axel had _never_ actually dated someone for more than one night. The red-haired senior was un-tamable, and no one really wanted to try.

"No, but not everyone's here, hmm?" Axel responded with a smug smile. The silver-haired boy rolled his eyes with a low laugh, which grabbed a few more people's attention. "Let's go, I came to tell you that Wakka wants to talk with us before the events start." Axel said, grabbing his friend's arm and tugging him in the direction of their green and white clad team.

------------------------

Destiny Island High's traveling team blended into the crowd before the events started, waving and shouting to friends and acquaintances from other cities and towns. Sora hung back, his father's large hand on his shoulder.

"Sora," Mr. Atari started seriously, "I'll be watching all of your events today. Make me proud, son." It wasn't so much of a request, or even encouragement. It was an order. One Sora took seriously.

"Sure, dad. Thanks for coming today." He responded mechanically. In truth, he wasn't sure of how thankful he was. Knowing his father was watching him was worse than having the rest of the world watching, in Sora's opinion. Too much pressure; too much expectation. The hand removed itself from Sora's shoulder, allowing him to go back to his group of friends. The brown-haired teen spotted his group of white and blue-clad friends, jogging over to them.

"What did your dad have to say?" Roxas asked. Sora just shrugged.

"Just wanted me to know that he's watching my events today." He replied.

"Better do well then, huh?"

"Yeah, really." Sora said, looking down for a moment and committing Roxas's words to memory. Out of the corner of his eye Sora saw his father move over to get a good spot on the bleachers. Their eyes locked for a moment, before Cloud interrupted.

"Okay team, this is it. Our first meet of the season. If you run like you have been, you'll do well. Half these kids here can't run very well anyway, so none of you have anything to worry about." Cloud said truthfully, to earn quiet laughs from his team. "The first event is the five-thousand. That's you Roxas; go get 'em." Roxas smiled at the team and moved off, Sora following.

"Nervous?" Sora asked his friend.

"Nah. I have about a gazillion laps ahead of me before I need to be nervous." He said with a bright laugh.

"Well, I'll be cheering for ya!" Sora said with a smile. Roxas gave him a one-armed hug.

"Thanks, Sora. Can you pin this on my back?" The blonde asked as he handed Sora his number, while pinning another one to his front. Sora grabbed it and pinned it on Roxas's jersey with deft fingers, being used to doing it. "I don't see why we can't just get the numbers embossed right on the uniforms." Roxas complained, still fumbling with the safety pins. Sora grabbed in front him.

"Because the numbers change every meet, that's why. Here, you're hopeless, pal." Sora teased, pinning the alternate number to the front of Roxas's shirt. "There. Go run." Sora stepped back and let Roxas line up behind number forty-four. Sora flashed him another smile and moved back to the team, standing next to Reno.

--------------------

Cloud spotted Roy Atari easily on the bleachers during his brother's race and waved him over to where he was standing. Roy got up and moved to his son's coach.

"Mr. Strife, what can I do for you?" He asked kindly, shaking Cloud's hand warmly.

"I wanted to talk to you about Sora." Cloud started. Roy's face immediately fell serious.

"Has he been causing trouble?"

"Not at all. I'm just concerned about the number of events he's up for today." Cloud answered.

"And does coach Cid share your concerns?" Roy asked; his voice rimmed with a defensive tone.

"Yes, he does. You realize that five events in one day is pushing it? Even for Sora."

"He's capable. I'm sure he'll do fine. Your worries are for nothing, Mr. Strife."

"I'm asking you to consider letting him drop two events," Cloud suggested firmly. "I'm concerned about his performance later today, in the shorter races, and I'm concerned about straining his muscles. You were a professional runner, Mr. Atari, you should know the dangers of pushing someone too hard." Cloud's voice had become chilly and commanding, his blue eyes darkening a shade.

"Professional has nothing to do with it. I know my son's capabilities much more than you, Strife, and trust me; he'll be racing in all of his events today as well as running with me tomorrow morning. That's my final word. Don't come to me with it again, please." Mr. Atari requested, his voice clipped and angry. Cloud glared at the man before turning his back. _And he calls himself a parent,_ the younger man thought with distain. Cloud wasn't exactly Roxas' _father_, but he was his significantly-older brother and their dad was often on business trips away from home, which meant that Cloud knew how to take care of someone. He didn't worry about Roxas too much, because Roxas was _Roxas_, and the kid could look after himself by now. But Cloud could tell that Roy wasn't paying enough attention to his son to actually see _Sora_, and not just the running star. Sora was a happy kid from what Cloud could tell, but he needed a father who would let him breathe a bit more. Sora needed to have a life that didn't revolve around a school sport; he needed to be a kid.

When it came to Sora, Cloud had always been perplexed. Even Roxas couldn't answer many of Cloud's questions, and Roxas was the kid's _best friend_. The first time Cloud had officially met Sora was two years ago, when he had come back from college…and the whole running contract thing…Cloud knew he had been a complete wreck for months after that.

He'd had everything going for him in college: he was well on his way to becoming a pro runner, had a contract people would _kill _for, and was attending his senior year in a prime school. And then…well, that attack. And then his knee. And then he found out he couldn't run professionally anymore. And all of a sudden it was like he had nothing. So Cloud went back to his father's house on Destiny Islands.

Cloud had spent half of his childhood in Hollow Bastion with his mother, who had divorced his father when Roxas was a few months old and Cloud was eight. It always bothered Cloud that he had gone thirteen years without seeing his brother, but his mother had refused to let him visit Destiny Islands because of her differences with Cloud's father. It was only after his contract fell through that he went home and saw the boy Roxas had grown to be. That was the summer before Roxas' freshman year in high school, and even then Roxas had been rather introverted and quiet. Always thinking too much, or getting into trouble for pranks he'd pull with his gang of friends. There were a few other things that brought a scowl to Cloud's face when he thought of them, actually…

----------------------------

_Roxas put his book down on the table and went to get the door with a sigh. His head was pounding, and his whole body felt slow and heavy courtesy of last night. He didn't want to deal with people. _

"_I'm not buying anything, so you can put your damn briefcase away and get the hell out of here." He said to the man at the door, even before he _really _looked at him. The guy just smiled._

"_Holy shit, Roxas. You're a hell of a lot bigger than you were the last time I saw you." Cloud said with a small smile. Roxas raised an eyebrow._

"_Who the _hell_ are _you_?" He demanded sharply, wedging himself in-between the doorframe and the door as if to block the rest of the house off from Cloud. Roxas's blue eyes swept over the man standing in front of him while he waited for an answer. The man was tall and filled out, although not so much as to call him stocky. He had developed muscles, but not so over-developed as to distort his figure, which was almost a bit feminine; delicate. His eyes were clear and blue, and a mess of spiky blonde hair the same shade as Roxas's sat on his head, moving around in the breeze. There was a suitcase in one hand and a backpack slung over one shoulder. Roxas looked back up at him with curious eyes._

"_You know what, I've got a story to tell you and I think you should be inside and sitting down. Mind letting me in?" Roxas was about to reply with something like: "Hell_ yes, _I mind," but the man didn't really wait for an answer. He pushed the door open and walked into the house, throwing his stuff down on the floor and looking around for a moment or two before heading to the largest couch in the living room. Roxas didn't move from his post at the door, staring at the blonde-haired stranger in shock. The teen opened his mouth to speak, but the man stretched out on the couch and cut him off. "Listen. Just come here, and let me explain. Really. I'm not going to do anything to you, and I'm not such a stranger." The look in his blue eyes was a bit sad as they watched Roxas close the gap between them a bit and sit down on a chair, still a safe distance away from Cloud. An eyebrow raised on the younger boy's face: he obviously wanted an explanation, and soon. Cloud took a deep breath… and started laughing. _

_Roxas was shocked for the second time that day. The first was when this apparent stranger, who supposedly wasn't so much of a stranger, practically forced his way into the house, and now, when supposedly not-so-much-a-stranger burst out laughing. Roxas glanced to his cell phone, which was just a few feet away on a coffee table. The man kept laughing, but suddenly the tone changed. Roxas found himself transfixed with the stranger's face, as his mouth turned up in a smile, but the sound coming out wasn't happy at all. It was closer to crying than laughing. And then he stopped._

"_Oh god, Roxas. You're about ready to call an asylum aren't you? This…this isn't really me. It's just…god…this is so…weird. I mean, all this shit has been happening and then I come here…and there's _you_, and you're so…different. Shit, I don't even know where to start." The man said, running a hand through his blonde hair. Roxas settled himself in the chair a bit more comfortably before speaking._

"_Your name doesn't happen to be…Cloud Strife…does it?" There was a full thirty seconds of silence. And then Cloud started nodding._

"_Yes." He whispered, so quietly that Roxas didn't even hear the word; he had to read Cloud's lips. "Yeah, that's my name. I'm your…"_

"_Older brother. Dad told me about you, I guess. Something about running?" Roxas smiled a bit._

"_No. Running's over. There's _nothing_ about running!" Cloud snapped. He ran his hand through his hair again, something Roxas took to mean he was apologetic and uncomfortable at the moment._

"_Hey…uh…you want something to drink? And then maybe you should start explaining this running thing to me. How's that sound? And I guess, since you're my brother and all, you should probably just stay here for a bit." Roxas said, standing up and moving into the kitchen. He poured a glass of Pepsi for Cloud, even though the young man never actually said he wanted something to drink, as well as one for himself before going back to the living room. The phone rang just as he handed the drink to his brother. "One sec." Roxas grabbed the phone. "Hey...oh, hi Dad…" Cloud's ears perked up. "Nothing's happening." Roxas lied into the receiver dully. "Does _anything ever_ happen?…I know…dad, _I know_. It's fine. You don't have to check up on me…I figured…well, you only ever check in to say that you're staying longer than expected…don't be sorry dad, I'm used to it. Look, I have a friend over right now, so I gotta go. See you in a few weeks…yeah, bye." Roxas hung up with a sigh, taking a moment before turning back to his brother._

"_So…that was John." Cloud mused._

"_Yeah, dad's hardly ever around anymore. He's always on these business trips. I don't see him much," Roxas said, sitting back down and grabbing his glass. Cloud took in this information with gloomy eyes. The father he had known had been so…lively and caring. Not the type to leave his son alone for weeks on end. Roxas cleared his throat. "So…" He prompted. Cloud took a deep breath and began._

_------- -------_

_The next morning Cloud got up early, did his obligatory stretches to ease out the tension in his knee, and ambled downstairs. It was… beyond strange to be back in this house again. The furniture had changed…even the colors of a few of the rooms, but it still felt like he was home. More home than he had ever felt living in Hollow Bastion anyway. Still, it was strange. With Roxas here, and John gone on a business trip…everything seemed surreal. Like the divorce never happened, like college and running never happened…almost._

_While waiting for his coffee to finish, Cloud stepped outside on the small front porch and took in the neighborhood. It certainly hadn't changed much in thirteen years. There was the same number of houses, all the same off-white-ish color that Cloud remembered, most with lavish, green lawns spreading between them. There were a few women out watering their gardens with hoses, and down the street he saw two runners coming toward him. Cloud stood and retreated back indoors, partly to get his coffee, and partly to avoid meeting people just now. He had never been a morning person, and really wasn't a people person either. It was really just safer to wait until his brain was connected to the rest of his body before trying to be civil to people. _

_Soon after getting his coffee just the way he liked it, with a tiny bit of cream and lots of sugar, Cloud watched the two runners come nearer to his house through the living room window. There was a tiny boy with spiky, brown hair and a tall man just ahead of him. The man looked like a trained athlete: powerfully built with huge muscles wrapping around his calves. The boy on the other hand looked miniscule: he had a thin frame, almost _too_ thin, and lanky legs that ended in clumsily large feet. The man looked cross, a scowl firmly in place upon his brow, and the boy looked…well, tired. Tired, and wary of the man in front of him. Cloud saw the young kid say something to what the blonde assumed was his father, and suddenly the man stopped and turned to face his son. He started angrily gesturing at the boy, pushing him back with one hand so hard that the child fell down on the sidewalk. The kid scrambled to his feet, his blue eyes wide and hurt, yelling something back at his father._

"_Lighten up for once, dad! Please!" Cloud heard; as he inconspicuously cracked open the window._

"_Keep running, son. We—"_

"NO_! I told you, I'm volunteering at the school today, I _don't have time_." The child pleaded. His father took a step towards him, and his son backed away._

"_You will run this morning, whether you have time or not. Next time, don't schedule things if they'll get in the way of training." The man snapped, grabbing the boy's arm and jerking on it. Cloud saw the child's eyes gleam, and knew that tears were threatening to pour from them. _Bastard_, he thought, watching the man drag his son into a fast jog and continue around the neighborhood, his child brushing away tears. Seeing the man and his kid running back to their house, Cloud had to wonder about Roxas's relationship with John. The John that had been a father to Cloud was always loving and considerate, but now, it seemed as if Roxas hardly ever saw him, and what struck Cloud was that his younger brother didn't seem to mind this too much. What if the divorce had been harder on John than Cloud had figured, what if…_NoJohn would never hurt his own son,_ Cloud reassured himself, knowing his musings to be a bit out of line that morning. Still, seeing that poor kid running… it wasn't…right. _I don't even know the situation; I'm being way over-dramatic_, Cloud thought, setting his mug down in the sink and starting to cook breakfast. _

_Half an hour later Roxas stumbled down the stairs, his eyes still carrying sleep around and his hair a chaotic mess of blonde strands. Cloud nodded a bit and pushed a plate of eggs and bacon at Roxas. The younger Strife grunted a 'thank you' and grabbed his plate without further word. Apparently Roxas wasn't a morning person either._

"_Who's that short kid with brown hair that was running past here this morning?" Cloud asked around a swig of coffee._

"_Oh, that's Sora. He's been my best friend for…well, ages. We go to the same school. He's a great runner, although that's partly due to the fact that his dad's so supportive of him."_

"_So the tall guy with brown hair was Sora's father?" Cloud said._

"_Yeah."_

"_Nice guy?" Roxas gave his brother a funny look._

"_Uh…yeah. Both Roy and his wife, Caroline, are great." He answered. "Why do you ask?" Cloud shrugged. A few minutes later the name popped back in his mind._

"_Wait, Roy, you said? As in Roy Atari? The runner?" Cloud asked. Roxas looked up at him with a smile._

"_The one and only. God, I tell Sora all the time how lucky he is to have _Roy Atari_ as a father. God, I would _kill_ for that!" Roxas exclaimed._

"_So, you're into running then?" Cloud asked; his question accompanied by a flicker of a smile._

"_Yeah, I guess. I mean, I run cross-country in the fall, and then track in the spring. I'm a distance runner." Roxas said. Cloud nodded in approval._

"_Nice. What's your best event?"_

"_The five-thousand."_

"_Can't wait to see you run." Roxas looked up from his breakfast again._

"_You mean; you're staying for a while?" He asked. Cloud shrugged._

"_I'm out as far as professional running goes, so I figured I'd better hang out here for a bit and find a job. Maybe I'll find something along the lines of assistant coach to one of the track teams here."_

"_That'd be cool. Our coach for track's great, Cid. He's tough, pushes you and everything, but knows when to stop. At least that's what I've heard. He's only the high school coach, and I've only run with him once last summer. But I'm really looking forward to this fall, with cross-country and everything," Roxas said happily, making Cloud grin. Roxas seemed a bit apathetic from the outside, but when he lit on running he sure was animated. "I'll see if Sora can come over today, he's heard about you from me and dad. He's a bit…happy, at times, but he's the greatest kid. I think you'll like him." Cloud nodded, glancing back out the window to the sidewalk where he saw Sora for the first time._

_-------------------------------_

That first day, when Cloud shook Sora's hand and introduced himself, Sora had intrigued him. And even now, two years later, Cloud couldn't figure him out. He also couldn't figure out Roy Atari, but he _did_ know that he didn't like the man one bit.

"Hey, are you Cloud Strife, Cid's new assistant coach?" Someone asked, breaking Cloud's chain of thoughts. He turned around to stare into dark blue eyes that pulled him in, yanking him off his feet and launching him into a pool of dark, stormy water. His breath caught in his throat as his mind worked furiously to find something to say.

"Uh…yeah. That's me. Squall Leonheart, right?" Cloud asked, mentally smacking himself for the completely awkward line he just spoke.

"It's Leon, not Squall. Call me Squall again and I'll maim you." Leon said, sitting down on the bench. Cloud let out a low laugh and sat next to the brown-haired man.

"I've had enough maiming actually, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't." The blonde said with a smirk. He saw Leon's eyes flash to his left knee before glancing back out to the track, where the five-thousand was still in full swing. They would be starting the sixteen-hundred soon. While Leon was watching the runners, Cloud took the time to run his eyes over the man's body. Leon was…well, sexy. The brown-haired man could turn any straight man gay with one look of his eyes; much less catch any…not-so-straight man's eye. Wakka's assistant coach was an inch or so taller than Cloud himself, with gleaming brown hair that was slightly askew, giving it an almost sexual look in an odd way. His dark eyelashes gave the look that his eyes were rimmed in kohl, giving Leon a rather dramatic look that worked well for him. He had high-placed cheekbones and a strong jaw, connecting to a pair of thin, luscious lips. Cloud had to rip his eyes away from Leon's face before he did something incredibly stupid and embarrassing.

"You're staring at me." Leon said suddenly, just before Cloud glanced away.

"So?"

"It's a bit unnerving, actually." Cloud took the unspoken challenge in the comment as a good thing.

"Is it _unwelcome_?"

"Just how sexual do you want this conversation to become?" Cloud smirked.

"That depends on you, I guess." Cloud said, causing Leon to roll his eyes, his lips twitching in amusement for a moment before the happy expression disappeared into a trademark scowl.

"You know, you seemed a bit frustrated about something a minute ago." The brunette said, changing the subject.

"Yeah. No big deal though."

"I'll put it this way, you seemed _pissed off_ a minute ago." Leon said, rephrasing his statement.

"Fine, I was a little frustrated. But it's really not a big deal. Just a…clash of opinions I guess,. Cloud answered, glancing up at the track. He saw Roxas on the opposite side, still going strong. There were a few other kids in front of him and only a lap left to go, but Roxas ran strategically; Cloud had helped him with that. In no time, Cloud suspected him to be much closer to the lead than he was now. At the start line, the competitors in the sixteen-hundred were lining up for their numbers, Sora and Hayner included. He stood. "It was…_nice_ talking. I should go set my team up though."

"Same here." Leon said, standing up next to Cloud. The blonde wasn't sure if he meant that it was nice talking to Cloud as well, or that he needed to go back to his team. Wearing twin smirks, the two walked away from each other, Leon going back to talk with Wakka, and Cloud going to make sure Sora and Hayner were ready for the race. Out of the corner of his eye Cloud saw a tall kid with silver hair and startlingly bright, aquamarine eyes. Riku Hukia, no doubt. Taking his mind off Riku, Cloud walked up to Sora, who was bouncing around in a small circle, swinging his arms in wide circles to get warmed up. Cloud put a hand on the teen's shoulder.

"Nervous?" He asked, looking down at the boy. Sora didn't really seem the type to get nervous before a race, especially because it was only the first meet of the season and didn't even count towards the state meet. But Roxas had mentioned that the brunette had _always_ gotten nervous before competitive meets; even more-so when his father was watching. Still, Sora looked up at him with a smile.

"Not really," He said, looking right into Cloud's eyes. It wasn't hard to tell that Sora lying a bit, but Cloud let it slide behind a smile of his own and a squeeze of Sora's shoulder.

"Go get 'em, Sora. You'll do fine," Cloud said, meaning his words like no others. He wanted to see Sora smile just once more, just to make sure. Right on time Sora's face lit up in a genuine smile. Cloud nodded his head and started over to Hayner, but he was busy getting his number, so Cloud looked around for his brother. Finding a sweaty, blonde head in the small group of long distance runners, Cloud grabbed his shoulders from behind and spun Roxas around to face him. "How'd it go?" He asked, wishing that he had looked up from his conversation with Sora to see Roxas finish.

"You didn't see the end?"

"Sorry, I was talking to Sora." Roxas nodded in understanding, not really minding that much that Cloud didn't catch the end of the five-thousand. It wasn't like Cloud hadn't seen him run before.

"Well, I did okay; took third, I think. There's this kid from here that won: blue-ish, silver hair. Number forty-two, I think. He's fast." Roxas commented, his breathing slowing down as he wiped sweat from his forehead. Cloud just shrugged and turned back to the start of Sora's race. "How do you think Sora's gonna do?" Roxas asked.

"Why are you asking me? He said he wasn't that nervous." Cloud stated, watching Sora line up at the start, seven other kids in his line. He asked Roxas the intervals the kids were starting at.

"Every half lap they'll send another group of eight out. Except for the five-thousand, 'cause they normally only _have_ about eight competitors," Roxas answered simply. The crack of the starting gun went off, and eight athletes bolted across the line. "Hope he doesn't take the start too fast; that's his only problem." Roxas commented.

"I _know _that, Rox, I'm one of Sora's coaches. He looks okay this time, he slowed down after a few paces." Beside him, Roxas was silent, staring at his best friend. Suddenly a flash of red caught his eye, and he turned to collide with green eyes.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed that! I had a lot of fun writing Roxas in the flashback scene; actually, I really just enjoy writing Roxas in _any _scene!

I'd really appreciate it if you reviewed and shared your thoughts on my story with me.

Wykkyd


	4. Burned Ballet Shoes

**A/N**: Ah! You're reviews were incredibly inspiring. So here you have it…Roxas meets Axel…Sora meets Riku…and of course: more running! Thanks to all reviews…you're all helping me write this, in a way.

Beta credit goes to Riku-stalker—the amazingly efficient and wonderful beta!

For details on this story (rating, warnings, summary…etc…) check out the first chapter.

**

* * *

**

**Track Season**

**Burned Ballet Shoes**

His heart was pounding inside his ribcage, slamming against it with every hard footfall that rang in his ears in time with his breathing, which had become sharp, clipped, and powerful. His legs were careening into the black surface, the soles of his shoes condensing every time they hit the ground and then springing up again when his feet lifted into the air: carrying him forward one more step.

Sora shut his eyes briefly, blinking sweat out of his eyelashes and ignoring the sting of salt in his eyes. He was _one_ pace behind number twenty-four and there were only about a hundred meters ahead of them. He absolutely _had_ to win this. The eight-hundred meter had always been his father's favorite and best event, and somehow Roy felt that it should be Sora's as well. In short, Mr. Atari would be pissed off if Sora didn't win. And Sora knew this, which is why the silver-haired kid in front of him was getting on his nerves, which were all screaming to _run faster_ and just _win_. But shit that kid was fast.

Destiny High track team had done well so far; Sora himself had performed excellently. They didn't have times yet, but Sora thought he had gotten second in the sixteen-hundred and either third or fourth in the fifteen-hundred. Both times he had been a step ahead of number-twenty four, which was why it just _hurt_ that this kid was now the one in front of him. _Come _on_ Sora, you _have _to win!_ He screamed to himself, willing his legs to move _faster_. He picked up his pace, ignoring the dizzy feeling in his head and his screaming lungs, which couldn't expand enough to get air. The blue-eyed boy was so close to number-twenty four that he could feel the vibrations of the other boy's footfalls, hear his labored breathing…

And then the two of them passed the white line. Sora couldn't hear anything by his ragged breath; he couldn't feel anything but his legs, which felt like jelly as he collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving for air. He didn't even know if he had beaten number twenty-four. Vaguely, he saw his friends surrounding him, Roxas extending a hand for Sora to pull himself up with. Sora didn't take the offer, not sure if his legs could support him yet.

"Well, at _least_ drink some water, Sora. That was a really impressive race," Kairi commented, putting Sora's blue water bottle on the ground near the boy's head. Sora rolled over and grabbed it.

"Number twenty-four. Did he finish in front of me?" Sora rasped, screwing off the top of his water bottle and taking a mouthful. He saw Roxas glance over at Demyx before his best friend's eyes flicked back to him.

"Um…it was really close. I don't know who finished first, Sora," Roxas said truthfully. Sora rolled his eyes.

"I don't think I won."

"Come on Sora! Be optimistic about it! I'm _sure_ you won!" Selphie cried enthusiastically. Sora smiled at this and sat up.

"So how have all your events been? I know I raced with a few of you," He asked, looking around at his other teammates.

"Well," Demyx started, "The sprints start in about fifteen minutes and a bunch of us are running the four-hundred, but Roxas did really well in the five-thousand," Cheers sprang up from the Destiny Island team, accompanied by a lot of 'way to go, Roxas!'s.

"Me and Selphie did alright in the girls' eight-hundred; well, alright for how many girls there were," Kairi put in helpfully.

"There were quite a few gals racing that event; I was surprised. But yeah, you two did really well," Rikku added. Reno walked up to the group talking with Seifer. Neither of them had raced yet, being sprinters. Seifer looked at Sora, who was still sitting on the ground.

"Heard you lost your last race," He said with a sneer. Sora glared at him.

"Did better than _you_ would have," The blue-eyed sophomore quipped in reply.

"Still, losing is _losing_, kid," The senior commented.

"Hey, _lay off,_ Siefer. You know you couldn't have run that well," Roxas shouted, staring up at his team member with a death glare on his face. Siefer laughed a bit, but took Roxas's suggestion and backed off, moving to the outer edge of their team circle. Sora picked himself off the ground and moved next to his best friend, still glaring at Siefer, who stared right back. "Don't worry 'bout it Sora, you did great in your eight-hundred," Roxas said quietly. Sora just shrugged his shoulders.

"Nice racing out there, everyone," Their coach said, moving to the center of the circle with Cloud. "Can't give you all your times right now, but you all have done real well. Keep it up. We've got our sprints next, starting with the four-hundred. That's Sora, Kairi, Selphie, and Reno. After that we've got the two-hundred, which is Demyx—" The named junior punched a fist in the air with a whoop, "Demyx," Cid continued, ignoring the blonde-haired kid's outburst to continue down the list, "…and Siefer, and then the one-hundred, Demyx and Siefer again. Get to it!" Cid ordered with a smile, dispersing the circle with a wave of his hand. "Sora, you wait up." Sora turned and moved back to his coach and Cloud. "You sure you want to race this next event? We could still scratch it," Cid said, his eyes serious.

"I'm sure coach, it'll be fine."

"You ran a hard race just now, Sora, and the four-hundred isn't your last event today. Are you're _sure you want to run it_?" Cloud said, staring at Sora with eyes that were almost glaring. The sophomore got the distinct idea that Cloud didn't want him to run. Sora did a quick mental check. His legs were still feeling tired and there was no way that he was going to be able to run his best in the event. But still…either endure Cloud and Cid's wrath, or his father's. Sora looked his two coaches in the eyes.

"I'm going to run the four-hundred. I _have_ to," He said firmly.

"No one's making you, Sora," Cid added; amazed at how firm Sora was being. Sora looked down momentarily.

"I'm going to miss my start…" He said after a slight pause, than dashed off down the side of the track to take his place in the starting line. Both coaches looked after him with curious eyes.

"Kid's damn stubborn about these events he's in…" Cid commented, Cloud nodding his agreement.

---------------------------------

Roxas stood a bit separated from his other team members, who had claimed an area of ground right next to the track and splayed out along it with blankets, backpacks and a multitude of MP3 players and speakers. He watched as Sora and Reno raced their four-hundred. The competition was tough; Hollow Bastion had some _very_ good sprinters this year, as did Twilight Town High. In comparison to what Roxas knew Sora could do, the brown-haired sophomore was doing poorly in the race. _Sora shouldn't have taken this race and saved his energy for his relay_, Roxas thought, a scowl on his face when his blue eyes followed his best friend around the track. There was no way he'd even scrape a place above seventh or eighth. Roxas sighed, wondering why Sora was so adamant about racing in the four-hundred. Cloud had come back after talking with Cid and Sora with a cross face—which wasn't so unusual for him—and complaining about 'goddamn stubborn kids'.

Suddenly a hand placed itself on Roxas's shoulder and the blonde whirled around in surprise to glare at whoever had snuck up on him. It turned out that it was the same boy who had nearly ran him over when he was watching Sora start his sixteen-hundred. Roxas glanced at the boy with blue eyes that were still glaring. The most obvious thing about the kid was the flaming red hair that sat on his head, defying gravity with its spiky-ness. The eyes were the next most noticeable thing; they were bright green, with a faint rim of black eyeliner that made them stand out even more and gave the kid a rebellious look. There were two small up-side-down triangle tattoos right beneath his eyes which contrasted with his skin nicely. Out of habit, Roxas looked at the number on the boy's jersey: twenty-nine.

"You know, they were calling your number for about five minutes before the start of the four-hundred. You missed your event," Roxas stated flatly, shrugging the redhead's hand off of his shoulder.

"Guess I did. Thought I'd come talk to you instead," The boy answered. Roxas gave him an incredulous look.

"What the _hell_?" He asked, wondering what kind of moron would skip his event to come talk to some kid who wasn't even on his own team. The boy shrugged and held out his hand.

"I'm Axel; Roxas, right?" He asked. Roxas ignored the extended hand.

"How do you know my name?" Axel shrugged.

"Overheard you and that miniscule brunette." He answered. Roxas cracked a smile at Axel's description of his best friend.

"You must mean Sora, then."

"If that's his name. He's quite the runner; although not doin' so well in this race," Axel said, looking out at the track where Sora was about ten places from the lead. Roxas went back to scowling.

"He _insisted_ on running the four-hundred, after he ran a killer eight-hundred. I'll bet he's wishing he'd scratched right now," Roxas explained, sighing.

"I saw the eight-hundred. My best friend ran in it. Riku, number twenty-four." Roxas nodded in recollection of the silver-haired teen. "You know, mini brunette gave Riku the most competition I've ever seen. Usually he's ahead of the pack by a mile. He's gonna get real pissed of if he can't beat Mini over there," Axel said.

"Yeah, well Sora may not be competitive in the least, but he's got a thing for impressing his father, so Sora's gonna keep giving your friend competition if he has to," Roxas said, looking up at the tall redhead. Axel laughed.

"Mini better pick it up then," He teased. Roxas's relaxed face turned back into a glare.

"_Lay off_ Sora. He's already awesome. And you better not let him hear you're nickname for him," Roxas said, immediately defending Sora. Roxas didn't know why, but something about Sora always made him a bit protective of him. Maybe it was Sora's rather innocent nature…all that happiness. Something in Roxas wanted to preserve that, keep Sora from turning into what he himself had fallen to a few years ago. Axel held up his hands.

"Man, cool off. I didn't mean anything by it." Roxas rolled his eyes and turned his back to Axel, his eyes once again following Sora. The brunette had slipped a place and was now in eleventh.

"He gave up," Roxas commented, still watching his friend.

"What?" Axel asked.

"He's in eleventh now. He knows he's not going to win, so he's saving his energy for the relay."

"Fuck! How many events is Mini in?" Axel exclaimed. Roxas shrugged.

"Five. I think the only reason he does it is because his dad makes him. Sora's got a thing for 'proving himself' to his dad, like I said."

"Man, the only reason I run is because my dad thought I should be on the _football team_; you know, 'running is wussy'. I would've joined _ballet_ if the teacher had accepted me…" Axel said with a laugh that sent a pleasant shiver down Roxas's spine. Axel had a really…nice laugh. Unique. The blonde looked at the boy standing next to him.

"If I was a ballet teacher, I wouldn't have accepted you into my class either. I don't blame her at all," Roxas said under his breath, but loudly enough so Axel heard him.

"It probably didn't help that I burned her kid's ballet shoes once…" Axel provided.

"Well, there you go," Roxas stated matter-of-factly. "So, what events do you race, besides the four-hundred?"

"I'm a sprinter. Best of the best. I run the two-hundred and the one-hundred, and I'm gonna kick everyone's asses," Axel answered with a smirk; Roxas raised an eyebrow.

"I hope Demyx and Siefer kick _your_ ass," Roxas commented. "Actually, kick Siefer's ass all you want, but I still want Demyx to place ahead of you." Roxas said, remembering Siefer's words to Sora after the eight-hundred. Siefer had always thought he was better than everyone around him—severe superiority complex—but if he found out that someone was actually better than _him_, he'd give that kid hell. So when Sora beat him as a freshman—Siefer was a junior at the time—Siefer had beaten the shit out of Sora. And now the senior was _still_ giving him shit. Sora had always taken it with a simple glare, rarely defending himself. A smile always appeared on his face the moment Siefer's back was turned; Sora trying to hide the hurt in his eyes. If Roxas hadn't been about two feet shorter than Siefer, he would have broken the kid's nose for treating his friend like that. All while Sora begged him not too. Because Sora was like that…way too nice, way too trusting, and way too concerned about everyone for his own good.

Axel's laugh brought Roxas out of his thoughts and the blonde boy scowled at the ground.

"You're a sharp one, Roxas." Suddenly Roxas felt hot breath on his ear, running down his ear canal and crashing into his eardrums, penetrating them and sending a shock to his brain; he froze. "I'll be seeing you." Axel whispered, his lips just brushing Roxas's outer ear. The redhead could _feel _the sophomore's shudder and smirked. Roxas didn't even move when he saw Sora cross the finish line—thirteenth.

"Who's your friend Roxas? He's hot," A voice said, floating in through the same ear that Axel had just…kissed? Roxas wasn't sure. He thought his brain had shut down.

"Uh…what friend?" He stammered, turning to Selphie. The girl let out a giggle.

"My god, are you frickin' in love with him _already_?" She teased. This snapped Roxas out of whatever daze he had been in.

"He's a fucking delinquent, Selphie. I'm not going to fall in love with a delinquent!" He exclaimed.

"Roxas, you're sort of a delinquent too…ya know," She said offhandedly. He stared wide-eyed at Selphie, his mouth forming the shape of an 'O'.

"I am _not_ a delinquent, and you _know it_, Selph," The brunette girl gave him a look that Roxas read all too well. "Selphie, don't bring this up again, not here. It's over. Just drop it…please?" He asked, taking a different path. Selphie put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side, flipping her hair expertly.

"Fine. I won't bring it up now. But I still think you like that number twenty-nine…" She taunted, dancing away from him and back to Kairi, who was giggling at overhearing her friends' conversation. Roxas glared at the two of them and stalked off to go comfort Sora, who was sitting rather dejectedly on the edge of the track, watching the sprinters line up.

"Hey, Sora," Roxas greeted, sitting next to his friend. "One bad race; it happens. You were exhausted before that anyway," Roxas consoled, putting his arm around Sora's shoulders. The brown-haired boy didn't respond, other that to hang his head. Roxas shook Sora's shoulders a bit with his free hand. "Come on Sora, you're not allowed to be depressed, remember?" Roxas joked.

"I know, Roxas. Thanks. Really. I'm just going to sit here for a bit, if you don't mind," Sora whispered. Roxas sighed.

"I'm gonna watch sprints then. Pick yourself up for the relay, okay?" Roxas said with a smile that Sora didn't see. The blue-eyed track star nodded his head in acknowledgement. Roxas stood up, a tall man catching his eye. "Oh, Sora, your father's coming over here." Sora's head snapped up, but Roxas missed the look of worry in his best friend's eyes. The brunette could feel his father's stare and he knew the look in them well. He hadn't 'performed well enough' to suit his father's tastes.

"Sora, I'd like to speak with you," His father said. It wasn't a request, but a demand. Sora avoided Roy's gaze.

"Talk," He said, not wanting to get up.

"_Privately._ Come with me," Sora didn't dare disobey him again, so he got up and walked away from his team at his father's side. "So, you're last race didn't go over too well," Roy prompted.

"I guess I was tired from my eight-hundred," Sora mumbled. His father nodded.

"You have a relay in approximately fifteen minutes. You're running the four-hundred. You have a record time of fifty-nine point eighteen seconds. And you will beat that time today, or I swear, tomorrow will be spent running with me for the _whole damn day_," His father snarled. "Run until you pass out; run until you're spitting blood. Sora, I'm doing this for you, you know that. I want you to be just like me in my prime. Make me proud," Roy said, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. Sora nodded, never looking up once, and all but ran back to where he was sitting previously. _I _never_ make you proud, dad. I _can'tSora thought with frustration, plucking viciously at the short grass all around him.

"Hey, are you okay?" Someone asked from above him. Sora looked up…and the number twenty-four stared back at him. His blue eyes roamed up a tall, toned body to the face of a boy with devilishly gorgeous features and silver hair that floated around his shoulders. Sora put his eyes back on the ground to keep himself from staring for too long. He saw number twenty-four sit down next to him out of the corner of his eye. "Are you okay?" The question was repeated.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Not a good day, that's all," Sora said quietly, his eyes blinking several times.

"You ran a pretty good eight-hundred," The sliver-haired boy commented, staring at Sora with an intensity that made the brunette feel a bit…uncomfortable. "Shit, you were seriously _good_. I don't even know who won that race yet, but it's going to be really close." Sora nodded. "God, do you _ever_ talk?" Number twenty-four asked.

"What's your name?" Sora whispered.

"Riku Hukia. And you?"

"Sora Atari," Sora mumbled, knowing the response he was bound to get.

"Sora…nice name. It suits you," Riku commented. _This_ made Sora look up, surprise written on his face. "Why so surprised?" Riku asked, lying back on the grass to prop himself up on his elbows, his stomach facing up. Sora shrugged.

"Normally people just start going on about my dad…Atari and all…" Sora said quietly, bound by a shyness that puzzled him and was all-together very foreign. Riku laughed a bit.

"Roy Atari was brilliant—and no offense or anything—but he's over. There are other pros out there right now, and a lot of them are actually better that your dad. Someday, I plan on being one of those people; what about you?" Riku asked. Somehow, the comment got through to Sora and the brunette smiled. Riku just stared at the boy's lips; full, pink, absolutely _edible_…_Hey look, it's sunshine in a can_. Riku thought with wonder.

"I don't know what I want to do when I grow up. Probably run though. I love it," Sora said truthfully. He _did_ love running, despite the chore his father always made it to be. Riku smiled at Sora.

"You know, there's a group of us having a party after the meet today. Sort of an exclusive thing, you know: you're fast enough, you can come…Why don't you stick around for a bit after the medal ceremony, you can get on the ferry a bit later tonight. How's it sound?" Riku asked, a glint in his eyes that Sora didn't recognize. The brown-haired sophomore hesitated.

"Who's gonna be there?" He asked. Riku shrugged.

"Anyone who's invited by one of the Twilight Town kids. The kids from all the different cities are spending the night at the school, so it's not so hard for a few of them to sneak out for a bit while the others are 'exploring the town'," Riku explained. "I have a feeling your little blonde-haired friend's going to show up tonight, actually."

"Roxas? What do you mean?" Sora asked, his eyes flicking over to his friend who was cheering for Demyx.

"Red, spiky hair, green eyes, tall, skinny? Axel. Number twenty-nine. I think he's…interested…in Blondie," Riku said with a smirk. "How much of a chance does he have?" Sora blushed a bit, even though the question had nothing to do with him. It was just such a…forward question.

"Um…there's a chance, I guess. Roxas is sort of, I don't know, picky. He won't date wimps," Sora said.

"I don't think Axel's looking for a date. He just wants to screw around a bit."

"I don't know. Roxas hides behind a scowl, so it's hard to tell if he likes someone, of if he actually _does_ think that so-called person is a complete moron."

"Well, Axel's one stubborn piece of ass, so I'll bet you that by the end of the night, blondie and him'll be making out in a corner," Riku said confidently, a smirk playing on his lips. Sora rolled his eyes, not really worried about Roxas. Cloud's younger brother had done just about everything by now, mainly because his father was gone so much of the time, so Sora didn't really care what Roxas did; the kid could take care of himself. And if the occasion arose where he _couldn't_, Cloud would beat the shit out of anyone who so much as _breathed on_ Roxas wrong. So his friend was well looked-out for, in Sora's mind. He'd kill to have a brother like Cloud sometimes…"So, are you going to come then?" Riku asked. Sora sighed.

"I'll have to ask my dad, he was expecting me to go back with him right after we get our times and everything," Sora answered, going back to idly picking at the grass.

"Go ask him, you'd have fun at the party," Riku said, standing up with a smile. Sora nodded a bit.

"Thanks for the invitation."

"You earned it. Good luck in your relay," Riku told Sora, turning his back and dashing off to the finish lines of the sprints to congratulate his red-haired friend. Sora swore when he realized that Axel had gotten first, although Demyx wasn't that far behind him. The brunette cheered up a bit when he saw Siefer's face with a glower on it, apparently he hadn't done as well as he would have liked. _Not that Siefer actually trains._ Sora thought with a smirk, getting to his feet to go over to Demyx and Roxas. He joined the laughing pair with a beaming smile, patting Demyx on the back.

"Nice race, Demyx!" He cried happily, still smiling. Demyx nodded his head in thanks, still out of breath from his sprint. It was good thing that there were ten minutes in-between each sprint for the runners who had back-to-back events.

"_No one_ can beat _me_!" A loud cry split through the air. Sora saw Roxas roll his eyes.

"In your dreams, pyro!" The blonde-haired teen yelled back. The redhead who had yelled his confident remark turned to face Roxas, a smirk on his face. He held up his hand as if he was holding something in it.

"See the blue ribbon? Right here? Uh-huh. All me…me and my wins," Axel yelled good-naturedly. Roxas rolled his eyes again and turned his back to the green-eyed sprinter.

"Ignore him Demyx, he's a bastard," Roxas growled, even though Demyx didn't appear affected at all by the redhead's outburst. That was just how Demyx was. Roxas seemed to be the only one out of the trio that was actually reacting to Axel's comments at all. "I can't _believe _him!" Roxas ranted. "I mean; that is so damn _rude_. You'd think he would have some manners! I hope he breaks his fucking leg!" Roxas said heatedly. Demyx and Sora shared a glance, twin smirks on their faces. They seemed to come to a conclusion.

"Sooo…Rooooxassss…" Demyx started, a smile spreading across his face. "That redhead, hmmm? Did I see you two talking just the other minute?" Roxas blushed bright red, shaking his head.

"No, _he_ was talking to _me_," He stated.

"Yeah _right_, Roxas. You like him, or at _least_ think he's the _tiniest_ bit attractive," Sora teased, spinning around in a circle on one foot.

"I _do not_!" The blonde sophomore protested avidly. "He's a _delinquent_. Too arrogant, cocky, bad-ass, confident, full of himself…he's got the weirdest eyes too…" Roxas continued. Demyx burst into laughter that could have passed for giggles at the last comment.

"Jeez, Roxas. You don't even know the guy and you've definitely fallen for him!" Demyx cried happily. Roxas glared at his two friends.

"Shut up you two. You have no idea what you're talking about!" Roxas said, stalking away from Sora and Demyx, leaving both of them in convulsing laughter.

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Thanks for reading everyone, please, don't hesitate to comment! I love hearing your thoughts!

-Wykkyd


	5. Sprints

**A/N**: Hello everyone! I wanted to thank every single one of you that reviewed for doing so; there were some GREAT reviews last time! I tried to respond to the first few people that reviewed, and had so much fun doing so. You are all such cool people.

I'd like to give a huge thank-you to my fabulouso betas: Riku-stalker, and Bubble Master Califa. Califa gave me a few great ideas that showed up in this chapter, and wrote a few sentences in there too! Thanks guys!

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**Track Season**

**Sprints**

Sora watched as Riku, the second runner for Twilight Town's relay team, sprinted down the straight of the track with ease. He wasn't the greatest sprinter, but he was still pretty good, Sora decided. So far the Hollow Bastion team had a good lead, and Sora didn't know if Axel could make that up or not. He ran the question by Demyx.

"I don't know. Hollow Bastion's always had a great hundred-meter relay team. Axel's good, but I don't think it's even _possible_ to be _that_ good. I'm glad we're not running that race right now though; don't even have a chance. Hollow Bastion's too good this year. I think they've already won," Demyx said. Sora nodded, believing his friend. Demyx had a rather uncanny ability to analyze a race and predict the winner, no matter if the race was half over or if it had just started.

Sora jumped up and down a bit in order to stay warm for the next relay. He would be the last runner on the team because he had the fastest time for the four-hundred. Reno would be running first, and then Seifer, Demyx next, and then Sora. The relays were the last track event of the meet, and they always got quite a bit of hype from the crowds. Parents and friends were jam-packed around the outside of the track, making room for the stretch that was always reserved for the competing teams. They were cheering with all of their might: a mixture of support for each team running.

Sora saw Roxas out of the corner of his eyes, his best friend watching as Axel jolted into a sprint just as the third member of his team reached a small white triangle on the track several paces behind Axel's starting point.

"Stick, stick, stick!" Axel's teammate yelled and Axel held his hand out to receive the green baton. Roxas's mouth turned up in a smirk as Axel grabbed the baton and bolted, his strong legs pounding the black surface of the track, his arms pumping the air by his sides. Axel was catching up to the last sprinter from Hollow Bastion, although true to Demyx's prediction, Sora didn't think Axel would be able to pass the other runner. Hollow Bastion was going to win this relay. The brunette glanced over at the Hollow Bastion relay team that _he_ would be up against. Two of them were tall and looked to be seniors, while the other two were stocky kids who might have been Sora's age or one year older. They were glaring at the other competing teams, arms crossed and feet spread in a power stance, a fierceness in their gaze that was frightening. They would prove hard competition.

"Come on Sora, line up," Cloud said, pushing his relay team toward the starting lines. Reno gave Cloud and Cid a thumbs-up and did as Cloud said; giving cold looks to the Hollow Bastion runner he was up against. Sora focused on getting ready for his four-hundred meter run coming up. He was _going_ to make sure that he beat his record of fifty-nine seconds. Plus, he figured that if he made his father happy with this last race, he'd be allowed to go to the track party afterward that Riku had mentioned to him.

Roy was usually extremely stern about doing anything at all after a meet. Sora was never allowed to go to Roxas and Cloud's parties for the Destiny Island track team, he was never allowed to go see a movie or_ anything_ after racing. He always went home where Roy would start listing off all the things Sora should have done during the races. What races he _should have_ won, that he had moved too fast on his four-hundred, that he had sprinted for too long on his eight-hundred…he never ran a perfect race. And winning was _never_ good enough.

Sora bit his lower lip, nerves suddenly racing through him as Reno bolted from the start line, keeping a good pace. His blue eyes flicked to where the rest of his team was standing, screaming Reno's name as loud as they could. Roxas caught his eye and both boys smiled at each other, the blonde giving Sora two thumbs up and mouthing: "You'll be great!" Sora smiled a little wider and stopped wringing his hands. The brunette caught his father's eye and gave Roy a weak smile that wasn't returned in the least. Roy was sitting calmly on the bleachers, hands folded into one another, staring at his son's team. He didn't care if the team as a whole won or not; he just wanted Sora to beat his record time. His son was having a horrible race day—didn't even have a good solid win—but the kid might, just _might_, be able to make it up with this last race. Sora had one chance, and he knew it.

Kairi, Selphie, and Rikku were in the crowd watching as the race started. Selphie and Rikku were cheering for Reno as he carried himself down the track, their high voices reaching over the rest of the crowd. Kairi pumped her fist in the air for her teammate, but was distracted by Sora's father in the bleachers. Mr. Atari was looking at Sora with an emotionless stare that made her shiver, dropping her triumphant fist and glancing back to Sora, who was nervously jumping up and down to stay warmed up.

"What's up?" Selphie asked her, noticing Kairi's sudden silence.

"It's nothing." Kairi said, grabbing hold of Selphie's hand before turning her attention back to the race wondering. _I wonder if Mr. Atari's okay…or maybe it's Sora,_ she thought, stealing a last glance at the stone-faced man on the bleachers.

Sora looked to Roxas's older brother just before he went to get in place for his sprint. Reno and Siefer were standing off to the side, while Demyx was coming in to the finish line.

"Cloud, time me, 'kay?" He asked, smiling his thanks when the assistant coach nodded his head and set the stopwatch.

"Let's get into place number fifty-two," The timer called to Sora. Cloud gave the sophomore a smile and held up the watch, showing that it was all set and ready to go. Sora stood just at the white starting line, one leg back, his front leg bent in a lunge. The timer's hand rested on his shoulder, ready to remove it just as another timer gave Sora the okay to go. The blue-eyed runner glanced back at Demyx. He was going to cross the white triangle in five…four…three…two…one…

"Go!"

Sora bolted. As he slammed his feet into the ground, Sora kept his ears open for Demyx's piercing whistle. Around him he could hear the other runners yelling "stick!" Suddenly the ear-piercing whistle tore through the air and Sora held out his hand. He felt Demyx slam the blue baton into it, stinging his palm. His fingers closed around it and Sora started pumping his arms in time with his footfalls. He could see the Hollow Bastion runner about a pace ahead of him and two lanes toward the center of the track, but Sora didn't pay him much attention. If you lose yourself in what place you're in, you'll throw your pace off. He knew that. Instead, Sora focused on keeping his breathing steady, and his pace up. Four-hundred meter races were sprints, which meant you ran as hard as you possibly could. Strength was needed over stamina for sprints, compared to longer distance running.

As he ran, people's faces seemed to flash in front of him. He saw Cloud just before starting the sprint, holding up the watch and smiling as much as he ever did; he saw Roxas mouthing "You'll be great!" and giving him two thumbs up; he saw Axel dash off with the baton in hand; he saw Seifer glaring at him; and Riku's gorgeous face smirking at him. And there was his father's face as well, always his father's face. Never happy.

"Go Mini!" Someone yelled, jerking Sora out of his thoughts. He looked around find a tall red-haired kid jumping up and down and looking right at him. Axel. The kid Roxas was talking about. His best friend was standing right next to the redhead, elbowing him fairly hard it seemed, and glaring at the taller boy to get Axel to _shut up_. Sora laughed a bit at the sight and ran a little harder. Two-hundred meters down…Next to Roxas, the silver-haired runner was standing, a sexy smirk on his face as he watched Sora sprint around the corner. He was neck-to-neck with the Hollow Bastion runner with a good chance of passing him…if he pushed his pace.

"_Run,_ Sora,_ push it!_" Cid yelled, his voice booming over the crowd and carrying right to Sora. The teen boy rolled his eyes and would have yelled back, but his breathing was coming too hard and uneven. He had a hundred meters left…and there was a tight stitch forming in his side. Focusing on trying to even out his breathing, Sora stepped up his pace, ignoring the persistent pain in his side. He had started out too fast and hadn't let up, using too much energy in one go. But if there was one thing you absolutely _did not do_, it was slow down for the end of the race. Hundred meters to go…he was _so close_ to passing Hollow Bastion. Once again, Roy Atari's face flashed in his mind, the features twisted with disappointment and anger, expressions Sora was on the receiving end of too often. _Not this time, dad_.

Roxas forgot all about the screaming maniac next to him as he watched Sora really put it in gear. There was a noticeable change of pace the brunette underwent. With fifty meters to go, Sora had passed the Hollow Bastion runner—who looked shocked and pissed off—and was a good ten paces ahead of him.

"He's going to kill himself," The silver-haired boy said from the other side of Axel. Roxas smiled grimly; it was beyond him how his friend could run like that after a day of cruising around the track so many times. The blonde looked over to his brother who was standing at the finish line, glancing back and forth between a stopwatch in his hand and someone in the bleachers. Roxas followed his gaze and saw that Cloud was watching Sora's father, Roy, who was staring emotionlessly at his son. "He's really going to kill himself," The silver-haired kid said again. Riku, Sora had called him.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Roxas snapped, not taking his eyes off his friend, "It's not even _possible _to run yourself to death," He chided.

"Something's really got him motivated…Sora ever think about sprinting?" Riku said, ignoring Roxas's previous question.

"Nah…because if he was a sprinter…he'd have to race _me_, and I think that thought alone would give him a heart attack," Axel drawled, stretching his arms to the sky and arching his back a bit in an effort to crack his spine. Roxas grimaced at the resulting popping noised.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Ax," Riku said with good humor. Roxas rolled his eyes.

"You two are fuckin' idiots," The blonde-haired teen said, walking away from the two kids from Twilight Town.

"Are fucking _not_," Axel proclaimed loudly, earning him a few glares from un-approving parents. Roxas glanced to the finish line just in time to see Sora fly across it, a blur of blue and white. The brown-haired runner walked shakily to the grass and collapsed, ignoring Cloud who was pushing a water bottle on him. Roxas hurried over, pushing and elbowing his way through the throngs of parents and friends who were clustered around the track.

"Sora!" He called, "Holy shit! You should have seen yourself!" Roxas exclaimed, plunking down next to his friend who was on his hands and knees, head down. "You okay?" Roxas asked when Sora didn't respond to the earlier comment. Sora just fell onto his back, clearly exhausted.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," He groaned, holding his head. "I can't see straight," He gasped a moment later, covering his eyes with his fingers. Roxas looked up quickly to Cloud, who was coming over to the two teens. Cloud crouched beside Sora, taking his hands away from his eyes and moving the boy's arms above his head.

"Keep your hands there," He commanded, "It allows your lungs to expand more. Slow your breathing; your vision will clear when you get enough oxygen back into your head. Breathe, Sora," Cloud said. The brunette groaned again, turning his head and spitting onto the grass. The saliva was tainted with red, its taste in Sora's mouth salty, but slightly acidic.

"Fuck, you ran hard enough," Roxas commented. Sora smiled at this.

"Well, I had—"

"Don't talk," Cloud interrupted. "Catch your breath first. Make sure you take it easy for the rest of the day too. I've never seen someone run like that before. I wasn't completely sure you could pass Richard, the kid from Hollow Bastion. He's a senior; the four-hundred's his main event."

"My time…what's my time?" Sora gasped out.

"_Don't talk_ Sora. You had a time of fifty-three seconds and twenty hundredths. Beat your record…although, try not to run yourself into unconsciousness next time." Sora opened his mouth to retort, but shut it again at a glare from Cloud. The brunette was smiling like a maniac though; as he found out he had beaten his record…by six seconds. Shit, his dad better be happy.

-------------------------

Riku wandered away from the crowd after checking in with his team and congratulating his friends on their races. As he neared a corner that introduced you to a large niche in the back of the school—a popular place for kids to get stoned during lunch period—he heard angry yelling. Riku poked his head around the corner to see a well-toned man leering at a petite teen. Riku recognized the teen instantly as Sora, number fifty-two, and then after taking a second look at the man, realized that he was _the_ Roy Atari. Riku raised an eyebrow.

"Second place is _not_ good enough. Number twenty-four had you by a good five hundredths of a second, Sora. And that is not. Good. Enough," Roy yelled, glaring at his son.

"Dad, five-hundredths is _not_ that much time! Everyone loses races!"

"You only won _one _race today, Sora. And that was a _relay_."

"I beat my record by _six seconds_!" Sora protested.

"Shut _up_, Sora, and _listen to me_," Roy yelled. "You better pick this up, because if you _ever_ want to be someone like me when you're older, then you'd better start winning _now_. I won't tolerate a second-place son." Roy slammed the heel of his palm into the wall, centimeters from Sora's ear. The boy cringed, cowering into the stone and turning his face away from his father. "Promise you'll pick it up."

"I…I promise, dad," Sora whispered, still braced against the wall. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, feeling a tear fall from his left eye.

"Look me in the eye and say it again," Roy commanded. Sora turned his gaze to his father's eyes.

"I promise I'll do better, dad," Sora repeated.

"Good."

"Dad…one more thing," Sora said, eyeing his father with wary blue eyes. "Well…there's sort of a party for the kids who played today…and I was wondering if I could go. I'll catch the ferry home before six, I'll be home for dinner…help mom and everything," He said, his eyes pleading. Roy sighed.

"Fine, if you're not home by six…" Sora's father warned, malice in his voice.

"I'll be home by six, I swear. Thanks!" Sora said, sliding away from his father, but Roy grabbed his arm in a death grip. Sora winced again and tried pulling his arm away, to no avail.

"Remember your promise. Start _winning_," Roy said, yanking roughly on his son's arm before releasing it. Sora looked up from the ground, reading disappointment on his father's face before Roy turned his back.

Riku yanked his head back from around the corner just as Roy turned toward him. The silver-haired teen re-traced his path a bit, trying to appear as if he was just coming to the back of the school. Roy came around the corner, appearing frustrated, but his expression dissolved into a smile when his eyes landed on Riku.

"Numer twenty-four," Roy Atari exclaimed, reaching a hand out for Riku to shake. "I'm Roy Atari; saw your eight-hundred. You're definitely a runner, son." Riku numbly shook the man's hand, shocking at the sudden change of attitude Roy had undergone.

"Riku Hukia, nice to meet you. Uh…didn't you have a kid in the eight-hundred?" He asked, knowing the answer, but wondering what Roy would come with.

"That'd be Sora. Not much competition coming from him, though, you probably didn't even notice him during the race, huh? Behind your heels the whole time," Roy said, a wide smile showing two rows of perfect teeth. Riku stood there, still shocked. How could Sora's own _father_—Roy Atari or not—say that about his son? Riku's aquamarine eyes darkened a bit, a little pissed off at the famous runner in front of him.

"Actually, Sora—number fifty-two, right?—gave me quite a bit of trouble. I wouldn't be surprised if we tied, or even if he had beaten me by a few. He's a strong runner; I saw his relay. I hope you're proud of him." If Roy caught the slightly icy undertone in Riku's voice, he didn't show it.

"I'm surprised he was able to give you any competition, Riku. He hasn't been running very well lately, slacking off at practice no doubt," Roy said…still wearing that _damn _smile. Riku took a deep breath.

"Well, it was really nice to meet you Mr. Atari, I need to grab something from the school real quick," Riku paused. "Oh, I invited your son to a party after we get our ribbons and times and stuff in a bit, will you let him come?" Riku asked, wanting to make sure that Sora was _actually _allowed to go. Plus…it seemed as if he had already gotten on Roy's 'good list', so if Sora's invitation had come from him…maybe Roy would be more willing to let his son go.

"He's already asked me. He's not going to be one of the better runners there—that's for sure—but he'll be there. Have fun tonight Riku, and again, great races you had today." Riku nodded his thanks and turned his back from the infuriating man. How could anyone say that about their own _son_? Riku glanced around the corner that led to the niche in the school again, just in time to see a flash of brown hair disappear around the opposite corner. Riku burst into a sprint, following Sora and catching up to him quickly. He grabbed the boy's wrist, pulling him around to face him gently. Sora's blue eyes struck him for a second time that day, but this time they were shining with tears, paths of salty water trickling down the runner's cheeks. Riku figured Sora overheard his conversation with Roy.

"What's wrong, Sora?" Riku asked, even though he had a good idea of what Sora was upset about.

"Nothing. I'm fine. Hey, look…um…I don't think I'm gonna come to the party after this. I…really should just go home with my dad." Sora blinked, and more tears rushed from his eyes and spilled down his cheeks, dripping off his jaw and onto his track jacket.

"Come on, Sora. You'll have fun; I know you want to come," Riku said. Sora tugged his arm out of Riku's grasp and sank down against the wall, wiping his tears away with his hand. "So…is your dad…always like that?" Riku asked with a bit of hesitancy.

"What? Disappointed in me? Not satisfied? Angry? Yeah, pretty much. But it's fine; I don't really care," Sora said, his words marred by the bitterness in which he spoke them. Sora was obviously lying, because if he didn't care he wouldn't be crying right now. Riku sighed.

"Look, you ran fine today, Sora. You gave some serious competition, and I'm damn positive that you're going to win races against me. I was serious when I told your dad that I wouldn't be surprised if we tied or if you actually beat me," Riku said with a smile. Sora returned one, although it didn't shine in his eyes like Riku had hoped. The most noticeable thing about Sora, besides his eyes, was his smile. It was…pure gold. Riku bet he could lighten a room with just one smile.

"I'd better get back to my team, let them know that I won't be going back on the ferry with them. Cloud already knows," Sora said, pushing himself off the ground and standing up. "Thanks…Riku," He said, smiling again. Riku just shrugged, slinging an arm around Sora—ignoring the boy's sudden tenseness—and walking him back around the building. The two spotted Sora's team dressed in blue and white sweats and jackets, and Riku squeezed Sora's shoulder, giving him a slight push towards his team. Sora took a few steps before looking back, a true smile on his face.

"Thanks, Riku. You know, for earlier…" He said. Riku gave him a smile in return, shrugging his shoulders.

"See you later, kid," He said, turning on his heal and heading back to his own team.

* * *

I really enjoyed writing that chapter. It was a lot of fun.

Anyway…PLEASE review! I never get tired of reading what you have to say!

-Wykkyd


	6. High Strung Tension

**A/N**: Thanks to all those wonderful people out there who reviewed. And another 'thank you' to Riku-stalker and Bubble Master Califa, my two fabulous betas!

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**High Strung Tension**

Sora dressed into normal clothes quickly after jumping out of the shower in the boys' locker room. He was forced to wait until every last kid had left before he could go in, undress, and rinse off. Still, the waiting was part of his after-meet routine, so he was used to it and knew how to do it without arousing suspicion.

He dressed in a baggy pair of jeans, a checkered belt looped through the belt-loops to keep them on his slim hips. A red shirt was tossed a bit carelessly over his shoulders and a black track jacket went over that. It was his traditional outfit, nothing special. His last effort to get ready was to grab his small container of concealer and brush it over the bruise on his forehead. Damn stuff wasn't _that_ sweat-proof…and he _had_ taken a shower. Running a hand through his hair, Sora grabbed his backpack slammed it into one of the lockers before leaving the locker room to join to the mass of runners, coaches, and timers in the gym. His watch read three twenty-five, just in time to get to the gym in order to get his times and places. Thank _god_ some last-minute business came up and his father was forced to get back in time to receive a new client. Riku had told him that he wouldn't have been surprised if Sora had actually won the eight-hundred, although Sora knew he hadn't. He had taken second place, just like his father had said. 'Second-place son'. Always.

Like normal, the gym was crowded with the track teams, their coaches, friends, volunteers, family, and the occasional reporter who had nothing better to do. Sora took a seat next to Roxas, clapping him on the back as he sat.

"There you are, Sora! Cid was freakin' out," Roxas exclaimed, shifting to face Sora. "They're just going through the girls stuff now. Kairi got fifth or something in the eight-hundred, and Selph got seventh. In the four-hundred Selphie placed…uh…third, I think, and Kairi one place after her." Sora nodded.

"That's great!" He said, a smile on his face. Roxas just shrugged.

"So…who do you think won the eight-hundred? You or Riku?" He asked. Sora shrugged.

"Riku. Well, I think. It wasn't by much, but I'm pretty sure he won." Once again Sora shrugged, giving off the look that he didn't care what place he got, that he didn't care about getting second. He knew his dad would be angry that he didn't place first; Roy had always wanted his son to be as good as him.

Roxas rolled his eyes and put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry 'bout it. It's one race. Cid was impressed by that run, I saw him. Next time you can shove that Riku kid's ass into the ground. He's probably a jerk anyway, he hangs out with _Axel_," Roxas said, accenting Axel's name with a touch of sarcasm. Sora laughed quietly.

"Riku's not that bad, I talked to him a bit after the relays today. He's actually…really nice. I like him," Sora said slowly, as if sorting out his own thoughts as he relayed them to Roxas. The blonde watched his friend carefully.

"Like him, or _like_ him?" Sora blushed and shook his head, but Roxas just smirked. "Sora! You don't even _know_ him! He could be some sex addict or something!" Roxas exclaimed in jest, a teasing smile on his face. Sora blushed a deeper read.

"I can _guarantee _that he's not a pedophile. Now, that _Axel _kid that you have your eyes on…I couldn't guarantee _his_ innocence. Better watch out," Sora countered, looking smug. Roxas rolled his eyes and turned away, but Sora could see his blush. _I _so_ won,_ he thought with a smirk, turning his eyes back to the girls who were coming back to their seats holding colored ribbons in their hands and wearing smiles on their faces. Both Kairi and Selphie gave high fives to their team as they walked down the row, stopping to plunk into seats next to Rikku. Sora gave the three girls a thumbs up, smiling his congratulations. Kairi gave him a _beam_ and waved furiously before turning back to Selphie, putting an arm around her.

As the boys were called up for the five-thousand, Roxas got to his feet and shuffled up front, listening intently for his name, place, and time. As he looked over the mass of people his eyes caught red hair…and green eyes. Axel sat there, right next to Riku, smirking at him…or maybe he was looking at the blue-ish haired kid right next to him, Roxas thought. No, Axel was definitely looking at _him_. And shifting in his seat, although not as if he was uncomfortable, and—dammit—_licking_ his lips, running his tongue over his teeth with his mouth partly open like he had just slid something sweet between his lips. Roxas glared at the redhead, half disgusted… half completely turned on. Axel shut his mouth, the corners upturned into a classic smirk. Riku was glancing between the two of them with interested eyes, and Roxas saw Sora shoving his hand into his mouth in a vain attempt to control his laughter. The blonde sent a glare directed at all three of them. Suddenly something poked him in the back.

"Dude, number fourty-four. They called you up. You got third," A kid from Wonderland said, continuing to poke him in the back. Roxas stepped out of the line, a scowl still on his face, and moved up to shake the hand of some overly-cheery woman holding out a white ribbon to him.

"Congratulations _Roxas_; third place!" She said with a beaming smile, shaking Roxas's hand with enough force to rip it right off. "Now, turn around so your friends and family can take pictures!" She said, spinning the sophomore around by the shoulders. Roxas grabbed his ribbon with an obviously fake smile that resembled a grimace and walked to the line where the previously-called runners were standing. He heard the woman snort indignantly, but didn't really care. He couldn't stand people that were so damn _smiley_, unless they were Sora of course.

First place for the five-thousand went to the blue-ish silver-haired boy, Zexion, as Roxas had predicted, and second had gone to some macho Hollow Bastion bastard. Roxas didn't really care all that much, as long as he could beat the guy next time.

Throughout the rest of the times and places, Roxas could tell Sora was getting a bit depressed. He held two third place ribbons, a second place, and a first place. The relay times cheered him up a bit, he had the record time out of all the kids, but Roxas could still see that his friend was disappointed by his races.

"Come on Sora, combined, you have like, the best times out of everyone. What's not to be happy about?" Roxas asked. Sora was silent. "Are you coming to the party after this?" Roxas tried again. This time Sora looked up at him.

"Um…yeah. I have to be home by six though," Sora answered. "Are you going? Who invited you?"

"No one, but I'm still going," Roxas said, a smirk on his face. Sora rolled eyes, Roxas: the official party-crasher. Sora: the boy who rarely went to anything even if he was _invited_. Sora smiled at his friend, a bit more at ease now that he knew Roxas was going. "I think that Demyx is going too, one of the long distance runners grabbed him. Demyx…is always fun to hang out with when he's stoned," Roxas commented thoughtfully, looking over at the blonde-haired junior who was bouncing around to his iPod. Sora laughed. Roxas was right…Demyx was _hilarious_ when he was wasted.

Sudden clapping arose from the crowd around the two boys and they broke off their conversation to look up. The small platform ahead was empty, meaning the meet was officially over. The rest of the teams got up and shuffled into groups to grab their gear, getting ready to get on their buses and get out of town. Cloud and Cid gathered up the Destiny Island team, telling everyone to be at the ferry docks in half an hour, with exception to Sora, Roxas, Demyx, and Cloud, who had decided to stay as well. Sora went back to the locker room to grab his backpack.

"Hey Mini, is Blondie comin' tonight?" Someone called over to Sora as he was opening his locker up. The brunette turned around to come face-to-face with a redhead that was at least six feet tall. Sora took a step back.

"_Mini_?" He asked. Axel nodded.

"So…Blondie comin'?" He asked again.

"Yes, _Roxas_ is coming. Why?" Sora asked, turning his back to Axel in order to grab his pack.

"No reason. I'll see you there then; Riku said he'd meet up with you and walk you over to his house 'cause you don't know where it is," Axel said, throwing a smirk over his shoulder and walking away, hands shoved into his pockets. Sora left the room behind the redhead.

"Soooooora! Roxas told me you're going over to Riku's tonight!" Demyx _yelled _from down the hall. Sora winced and slowly turned to face the junior as he bounded up the hall.

"How'd you know the party was at Riku's?" Sora asked.

"I went last year; it's _always_ at Riku's. I'll walk you and Roxas there," He offered. Sora thought of Riku's intention of doing that, but figured he'd better have a back-up plan if that was something Axel had randomly said. Sora nodded and the two friends walked down the hall, back to the gym to meet Roxas and his older brother. "The team left about a minute ago, told me to tell you that you did good today. We'll see 'em all on Monday. Tomorrow's Sunday! Isn't that great! A whole day off! No _running_! I'll bet you have to run though, huh? Sora _Atari_ and all. Roxas said you run every morning with your dad. My legs would fall off, I think. I mean, and my shoes would fall apart, and I'd probably get a whole bunch of injuries and stuff…and I'd probably die too. Because I can't run long-distances _at all_. And…yeah. So! Sora! Your relay today…was _so awesome_! You should have seen yourself! I mean, one second you were just behind the guy, and the next second, you were about a million feet _in front_ of him, and then you totally won! Hollow Bastion assistant coach was pissed about it though, that Sephiroth-wannabe Kadaj bastard. I mean, he was _fuming _afterward, but he didn't say anything about it. He probably wants to have his thugs beat you up though, because you beat his team and all…like _flattened_ them. And—"

"_Shut_. _Up._ Demyx," Roxas snapped, having joined the two during Demyx's tirade. Sora stifled a laugh, but Demyx just smiled at the blonde sophomore and followed his instructions.

"Oh it's _Zexion_! I should go say hi." With that, Demyx bounded off again, practically tackling the tall blue-haired runner.

"I think you offended him," Sora commented lightly, watching Demyx talking a mile-a-minute to Zexion, who didn't appear as if he was paying the slightest bit of attention although Demyx, yet he reacted well to everything Demyx said. Roxas shook his head.

"It's _impossible_ to offend Demyx. He just doesn't get hints. So you have to tell him to shut the hell up every other second. Ever wonder why _you_ can never get him to stop talking?" Roxas asked. Sora pushed his friend to the side, muttering a few words under his breath. The blonde laughed a bit and fell into step with his friend again. "_Fuck_, it's Seifer…I did _not _want to talk to him," Roxas groaned a few seconds later as the large senior sauntered up to the two of them. His eyes were narrowed dangerously, a superior smirk set firmly on his face. Sora looked him in the eye, glaring. _I don't think we're going to be doing much talking, Roxas,_ Sora thought grimly.

"Oh look, it's the little prodigy runner: Sora Atari!" Seifer said, his tone maliciously sarcastic. "Your daddy didn't seem too happy…not that I blame him," Seifer snarled. Sora took a step back as the senior advanced on him. Roxas stepped in between the two.

"Listen up, Seifer, get the fuck outta here before you start something," Roxas warned, although he sounded perfectly ready for a fight.

"Start something? You think I give a fuck if I start something, _fag_?" Seifer goaded.

"Do you think _I_ care?" Roxas answered. Sora grabbed his friend's arm and tried pulling Roxas away from Seifer, but the blonde wrenched his arm from Sora's grip.

"Fine with me; Sora, just tell your little bitch when to rush me!" Seifer said in a falsely cheerful voice. Sora opened his mouth to retort but Roxas had already slammed into the senior, his fist flying at Seifer's face.

"Roxas!" Sora shouted as he saw Seifer shove his friend onto the ground, hard, the senior's fist colliding with Roxas's left eye. The sophomore started toward his friend, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Sora, don't get involved in this any more then you are," Demyx said, walking past Sora and approaching Seifer.

"Pal, you _know_ you'll get kicked out of track if you keep this up. Just let it go man," Demyx proposed, staying a wary few feet away from the angry teen in front of him. Seifer laughed.

"Yeah right, hate me all you want, but Cid loves me. Plus, he and Cloud aren't fucking here—they're talking with the coaches—so it looks like I'm free and clear, huh?" Seifer said, shrugging as his mouth turned upward in a smirk.

"Did you touch Blondie? I fucking _swear_ man, I will mess you up if you gave him that black eye," A new voice said. Seifer, Sora, Roxas, and Demyx turned to see a tall redhead standing there, looking pissed off. Roxas almost laughed at the hilarity of it all, but he settled for groaning and sinking back down to the floor. Sora dashed around Demyx and ran over to Roxas, helping him up.

"Why the fuck did _Axel _have to show up?" Roxas asked under his breath. Sora shrugged.

"I don't know, but he and Demyx are sort of saving our asses, so I don't really mind," He answered, tugging Roxas away from Seifer. Sora heard the three boys start shouting: Axel taking Roxas's side, Seifer taking his own side, and Demyx taking Sora's side in the mix. The brunette sophomore glanced down the hall to see if anyone was coming, because he sure as hell couldn't break this up and Roxas would only join in the fight—if it came to that. When Sora looked back at his teammates and Axel, Axel was on top of Seifer, his fists pounding into the Destiny High runner, blood gushing from Seifer's nose and mouth. Demyx was mixed in there somehow, both trying to injure Seifer a bit as well as trying to make sure Axel didn't kill the other teen.

"Roxas, get Axel to stop. He's not going to listen to Demyx," Sora said, wincing a moment later at Seifer slammed landed a blow on Demyx's right cheek. "Fuck, Roxas, _please_," Sora begged, looking at his friend. Suddenly a new body was in the fray, one that Roxas recognized instantly as the first place long distance runner: Zexion.

"Axel, get the fuck off of him; Demyx, come on," Zexion said, his voice calm although his hands were clenched around Axel's shoulders, pulling hard to get the redhead off of Seifer. "We'll _all _get in trouble if someone sees us. Finish it later if you like, but not now." Zexion shoved Axel away from him, toward Roxas and Sora, and grabbed Demyx's shoulder and hand, pulling him away. Axel's nose was bleeding by now, a thin stream of blood falling from it and pooling in the crevice of his lips. Seifer had gotten to his feet on his own, glaring at two groups of teens—Axel, Roxas, and Sora; Zexion and Demyx.

"Fuck off, Seifer. I swear, I will get your ass off our team faster than you can make up some shit lie about what happened here if you don't get on that damn ferry right now and go home," Roxas said, his voice deathly calm, although his expression was beyond furious. Axel, Demyx, and Zexion were all glaring at Seifer with similar expressions and the senior turned around, throwing a scowl over his shoulder before he stalked away.

Sora sighed, running his hand through his hair. Roxas immediately turned his glare on Axel, seeming to forget the whole Seifer incident and focusing his anger on the lanky redhead.

"Hey _Blondie_," Axel drawled, wiping the blood from his face. Roxas ignored him, brushing past and pulling Sora with him. "You know, you two could be twins if Mini had blonde hair," Axel commented, following the two.

"Go away, Axel," Roxas said in monotone, walking faster and practically dragging Sora along by the arm.

"Owowowowow," Sora whined as he stumbled backwards after his friend whose iron grip on his upper arm was beginning to get painful. Roxas pulled harder when he realized Axel was still sauntering along next to them. Finally, Sora tripped over his own feet and collapsed in a jumbled heap on the floor as Roxas let go of him. "Owwww," He moaned, turning to glare at Roxas who was trying to fend off Axel.

"I'm _talking _to you. Man, you are fucking _high strung_, Blondie," Axel commented. A hand moved into Sora's vision, offering to help him up. Sora looked away from Roxas to find Riku in front of him, hand still extended. Sora took it with a smile of thanks and picked himself up. Riku had changed out of his track uniform and was now wearing a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a dark t-shirt. Sora thought he saw the band Evanscence's name printed on it. The junior's silver hair had been taken from its hair tie and now hung around his shoulders, glinting in the harsh lighting in the hall. Sora smiled and accepted Riku's hand, blushing a bit for reasons he didn't know.

"I _told _you Axel was after Roxas," Riku said with a smirk, leaning over to whisper it into Sora's ear. The brunette boy laughed a bit, which caught Axel and Roxas's attention.

"What?" Roxas snapped at his friend, still frustrated with Axel, although not _that _frustrated.

"Oh yeah, Axel. Let me tell ya right now, you've got a _snowball's chance in hell_," Riku said, a smirk on his face. Sora turned his laugh into a choking cough, pressing his hand over his mouth to prevent himself from erupting into giggles. Axel looked scathingly at his silver-haired friend while Roxas just looked confused and kept looking from Riku, to Sora, and then to Axel.

"Shut the fuck up, Riku," Axel said, shoving his hands into his pockets and turning back to Roxas, giving him a teasing smile.

"So what happened, Axel? Why did I see Zexion and Demyx going into the bathroom looking thoroughly messed up?" Riku asked, glancing between the three other boys around him. Sora just shrugged.

"Just some shit that Seifer created. Roxas sort of…lost it," Sora said simply, willing to try and forget the whole thing. Roxas stepped forward again, opening his mouth to elaborate, but Axel grabbed him and slammed a hand over Roxas's lips.

"Mini's right. Just 'Seifer shit'. No big deal. Now…Roxas, as of now, I have become your official escort to Riku's party. Congratulations," He said, putting an arm around Roxas's shoulders and effectively pinning the thrashing boy to his side. The blonde sophomore was fighting tooth and nail to free himself from the grip. "If you don't _stop_, I'll _carry_ you there," He threatened after a few moments of constant flailing on Roxas's part. The blonde stopped moving with a furious scowl. As Roxas and his 'escort' walked towards the door, Sora turned to Riku.

"You know, I think that Roxas likes him, actually," He commented. Riku raised his eyebrows.

"_Excuse_ me?"

"No, really. This is actually Roxas when he's being tolerant of someone. If he _didn't_ like Axel, you would know, trust me."

"For a little guy, he's got some spunk," Riku commented. "Well, since those two are off, that leaves me and you. Let's go." With a laugh, Riku grabbed Sora's waist and threw the petite boy over his shoulder, catching the backpack as it fell from Sora's hand. Sora squeaked in surprise, wincing as pressure was put on a few of his bruises and the cut on his stomach.

"Put me _down_, Riku!" He said loudly, trying to steady himself by grabbing Riku's shoulder. His position was awkward, quite upside-down, and no doubt hilarious to look at with his hips balanced on Riku's shoulders, his torso hanging down the boy's back, and his legs held to Riku's chest by the boy's arms. "Put me down!" Sora said once again, only to be ignored…again. Roxas looked back from under Axel's arm, still looking pissed off.

"Put him DOWN, you asshole!" Roxas yelled viciously, struggling fiercely to get free. Axel shoved the blonde's head down and yanked him out of the building.

"Dude, what is _up_ with you and Sora?" He asked firmly, still pulling the blonde along with him. Roxas shrugged as much as possible.

"He's my best friend, that's all," Roxas answered.

"Sure, but you have fucking_ freak-outs_ when _anything _happens to him! What's _with_ that?" Axel asked, letting Roxas out from underneath his arm and gripping the sophomore's shoulders. Roxas shrugged again.

"He's my _friend_, don't you get it? He's—"

"I _don't_ get it, Roxas. I mean, Riku's my best friend, but kids have broken his nose and I didn't freak out at them. Guess he deserved it…but still…" He commented, green eyes still puzzled. Roxas sighed.

"Riku likes Sora, right? I mean, like, _like-_likes him," Roxas said, as if confirming something he already knew. Axel's mouth fell open.

"What the hell? Where did _that_ come from?" He asked.

"You _moron_! Just answer the question. Does Riku want Sora or not?"

"Yes, Riku _wants _Mini. It's damn obvious. What does that have to do with your whole…'Oh my god! Touch Sora and _die_!' thing?" Axel said, putting on a high and whiney voice. Roxas aimed to punch him in the stomach, looking extremely pissed off, but Axel caught the fist before Roxas had moved it four inches. The redhead smirked. "Little fiery thing, arn'cha?" He said. Roxas glared. "So come on…why are you so damn _protective_ of Mini?" He asked again. Roxas wrenched his hand out of Axel's with a jerk.

"Fine! I'm protective of Sora because he's so damn nice and trusting! You have _no idea_ what he's done for me!" Roxas yelled, his back going rigid, "God, I was such a _fuck-up_ a few years ago…and no matter what I did to him—Sora—he was always there. Always. I don't want anything to happen to him…he's too innocent, and I love that about him. Which is why, if Riku hurts Sora in _any fucking way_, I will be personally responsible for an unfortunate injury that cripples him for life. And we wouldn't want the star runner of Twilight Town to be a cripple, would we?" Roxas seethed, the glare never leaving his face. Axel took a step back, shocked into silence.

"Do you love him?" He whispered, after several moments. Roxas shook his head, cooling down a bit.

"Not like that. Sora's my best friend; dating him…would be weird. But yeah, I guess I do love him in a way. Like… like he's my brother, ya know?" Roxas said quietly. Axel nodded.

"So I'm not completely out of luck then?" Axel said with a smirk. Roxas rolled his eyes, but didn't try and slam his fist into Axel's face. The redhead took that as a good sign.

"Not completely, but mostly. Let's go," Roxas said, for once using a normal tone of voice. Axel put his hands into his back pockets and shuffled into step with the blonde, extremely heartened by Roxas's answer to his question, which hadn't entirely been a joke. Axel was _really_ looking forward to this party.

---------------------

Cloud left Twilight High as quickly as he could, wanting to get away from the crowds of pushy and competitive parents. As he pushed open the doors someone called his name from behind him.

"Cloud! Are you coming tonight?" Cloud turned to see Wakka's assistant coach jogging down the hall towards him. Cloud nodded his head, knowing that Leon was asking if he was going to Riku's party. "Come on, I'll give you a ride," Leon offered, catching up to the blonde before exiting the school with him. Cloud trailed Leon silently into the parking lot, suppressing a low whistle when he saw Leon's classic black jaguar. Leon seemed to catch the other man's impressed look and gave him a knowing smirk, climbing into the driver's seat.

As Leon pulled out of the parking lot and on to the well-lit streets, Cloud turned to him.

"That Riku kid is hosting this thing, right?" He asked. Leon nodded affirmative. "So why does he let guys our age come?" Cloud wondered.

"Riku has friends who are in middle school up through college. Also, Riku's friends with Axel, and Axel knows a lot of kids our age."

"How many people show up?"

"Last year Riku estimated about ninety; it really depends on the teams attending this first track meet, though. I'm guessing there might be from fifty to eighty this year." Cloud 'hmm'ed his satisfaction with the answer and the two lapsed into silence until Leon pulled into a driveway, a large white house placed just behind a small yard. Cloud raised his eyebrows.

"Riku's family's not doing too bad," He commented with a smirk. Leon glanced at him.

"You could say that," He replied with a smirk of his own. "Riku's father has a job that travels all over the place, and apparently he gets paid pretty well for all the time away from home." Cloud nodded in understanding, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking up the path with Leon just behind him. Before opening the door, Cloud turned to Leon, a small smile on his face.

"While we can still hear each other, thanks for the ride," Cloud said. Leon just shrugged, reaching around Cloud to push the door open. Immediately a rush of screaming music blasted into their ears and the two walked into the crowd of people, each privately enjoying the loud rush. Glancing at Cloud in his tight fitting shirt and baggy jeans, Leon had the sudden impression that he was really going to enjoy this party.

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I had fun writing this chapter…okay, I have fun writing just about _all_ of the chapters in this story, but still…:) Hope you all enjoyed it, and don't forget to tell me if you did!

Wykkyd


	7. The Hukia House

**A/N:** Okay, another chapter! I'm _so _incredibly inspired right now! I've written almost twenty chapters of the story in the last four days. It's great! Anyway, everyone should thank my two betas, Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker, because they're correcting my grammatical errors and providing me with inspiration and a creative flow of ideas. Thanks you two!

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**The Hukia House**

"Demyx, that was stupid," Zexion chided as he pulled Demyx into the locker room. Demyx just shrugged, glancing to the tiled floor.

"Seifer just pisses me off…the way he treats Sora. I hate bullies, and Seifer's one of the worst," The blonde answered with another shrug, glancing at his bloody face in the mirror. His cheek was starting to bruise, although it didn't seem like it would swell too much. There were a few more bruises around his jaw and nose, but nothing serious.

"It was still stupid. He could have seriously hurt you, you know," Zexion pointed out with a sigh, getting a paper towel wet and handing it to Demyx. "Put your head down and use that for the blood," Zexion directed, looking at Demyx's thin nose, which was emitting a heavy stream of blood.

"I saw Sora once after track last year. It was a Monday, and he had kicked Seifer's ass at the track meet two days before…" Demyx commented slowly, his voice a bit muffled by the paper towel he was pressing to his nose. Zexion raised his eyebrows, curious. "It was about half and hour after practice was over, and I had to run back into the locker room to grab my shorts. I passed Seifer in the hall—but didn't really think anything of it—and when I got into the locker room I noticed that someone was still in the shower. I glanced in there to see who it was, and Sora was sitting on the floor pressing a hand to his mouth. God, Zex, he was covered in bruises…I mean, I only saw his back, but they were _everywhere_. His mouth was bleeding too. I asked if he was okay—yeah, that was a really dumb question—and he looked terrified. Seifer really did a number on him."

"Did Sora tell you that?" Zexion asked. Demyx noticed a strange look in the boy's eye.

"He didn't deny it when I asked him if it was…just sort of dropped his head."

"Did you tell anyone about it?"

"No, he begged me not too, and I promised him. If it gets out of hand like that again, I'll go straight to Cid, though," Demyx said vehemently. Zexion nodded.

"Good idea. Was Seifer the only person you ran into in the hall? Before seeing Sora, I mean," Zexion asked. Demyx paused for a moment before answering.

"I think Sora's dad walked by, coming from the locker rooms. But I'm not sure." Zexion's mouth tightened for a moment before he gave Demyx a slight smile, shrugging his instincts off. "How's your nose?" Zexion asked, gently taking the paper towel from Demyx and looking at his nose. Demyx shrugged, pinching it slightly and wincing.

"Hurts a bit, but it'll be fine in a day or so. _Bastard_," He swore at Siefer, making Zexion smile.

"I agree. Did he get you anywhere else?" Zexion asked.

"My chest might be a bit bruised," Demyx said vaguely, absentmindedly rubbing a sore part on his torso.

"Let's check it out," Zexion said, blushing a moment later when he realized how that could have sounded. Demyx was blushing, not making eye contact. "Shit, I didn't mean it like that. I—" Demyx shook his head, suddenly laughing. "What?" Zexion asked flatly, watching the attractive boy laughing.

"You're hilarious, Zexy," Demyx teased, placing one of his hands on Zexion's shoulder. The long distance runner shook his head.

"If you don't want to make sure your chest is okay…" Zexion trailed off when Demyx just laughed again and yanked off his shirt, revealing a shaped and muscled stomach. The teen from Twilight Town barely managed to keep his eyes from roaming a bit _too_ far, but shit…Demyx was…Zexion sighed, shaking his head a bit to clear it. He focused on a slightly bruised patch near Demyx's collarbone, reaching up to brush his fingers over it lightly. "Does that hurt?" He asked, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper.

"Not really. It'll be fine…no need to worry!" Demyx said with a bright smile. Zexion smiled back, his hand hesitating on Demxy's chest before he let his arm fall. The sprinter had the urge to grab Zexion's slender hand, but shoved the idea to the back of his mind and just pulled his shirt back on. "Thanks for your help, Zex. I guess I'll see you at the party?" He affirmed.

"Shit! The party! We need to get over there…you can ride with me," Zexion said, hurrying out of the locker room with Demyx on his heels. A large smile spread onto Zexion's face when he was sure Demyx wouldn't notice.

-----------------------------

Three high school-aged girls sprinted away from the docks; laughing so hard they could barely stand up.

"I can't _believe_ we _jumped_ off the ferry…_again_! That's _got_ to be illegal or something!" Kairi laughed, shaking her head. "I thought the controller guy was going to call the cops or on us!"

"At least we didn't get soaked this time," Selphie said, giggles breaking into her sentence every other word. "Last time we tried that we landed in the frickin' bay! God, I'm glad we changed our minds before it was too late," She added.

"Yeah, well if you had gone with my idea of heading to Riku's straight from the school, we wouldn't have had to jump off the ferry, _darlings_," Rikku said in a falsely stern voice, her eyes alight with adrenaline. "Come on guys, I want to get there before all the hot guys are taken," Rikku finished, moving off. The two sophomore girls followed her arm in arm, still giggling.

"This is _great_, I'm, like, high already!" Selphie laughed as they pushed open the door to Riku's house, earning a playful smack from Kairi.

"Let's grab something to drink, Selph," Kairi suggested, already pushing her way through the crowd towards the counter. Selphie hurried to catch up, smiling her thanks when Kairi handed her a glass of…something. Trusting her red haired friend enough to drink whatever she was handed; Selphie downed the liquid in a few seconds. She caught Kairi's gaze.

"Come on, I wanna dance, Kai," Selphie said enthusiastically, tossing her cup to the floor and grabbing the girl's hand.

"Um…won't people sort of…uh…" Kairi said, looking around at everyone.

"Oh come on, drunk best friends can do whatever they want with each other," Selphie said, pulling Kairi into the throbbing crowd of dancers.

------------------------------

Zexion smiled inwardly while watching Demyx walk, more like stumble, around the room, his hips swaying in time to the music blaring from huge speakers that adorned the walls. The kid, as clumsy, loud and annoying as he was…was actually really cool. Demyx and Zexion had known each other since their freshman years, mainly through the track meets they saw each other at. The two were never friends, but more than acquaintances. Too many differences. Zexion: serious as all hell, quiet, introverted, prone to stints of depression, sarcastic, and downright pessimistic. Demyx: didn't know what the word 'serious' meant, loud, always blurting things out, never depressed, always laughing, and always optimistic. To put it mildly, the two were opposites.

But still, Zexion never minded talking to Demyx. Well, more like _listening _to him. It was a bit hard to get a word in when Demyx was talking. And even though _Demyx_ found that Zexion was the _least _responsive kid he had _ever_ met, he still enjoyed talking enough for the two of them, and never really noticed the funny stares Zexion would send him every once and a while when he thought Demyx wouldn't notice.

So now, Zexion's eyes were plastered to Demyx's damn hips, which were still swaying and twisting to greet the music that Demyx seemed to operate on daily. Suddenly, a slim hand slid over Zexion's shoulders, startling him enough to turn his gaze to the person behind him.

"You know, you're practically _salivating_ just _looking_ at him. Demyx isn't all that hot, really," Tifa Lockhart said, massaging Zexion's shoulder gently. He shrugged her off.

"Cut it out, Tifa. And no, I am not salivating. I'm _observing_," Zexion retorted, a scowl making its way onto his face. Tifa snickered.

"Yeah, observing his _ass_. I totally did not think you were even gay, Zex!" She commented.

"Zex-_ion. _And I never said I was gay, Tif. Forget it," Zexion replied, annoyance seeping into his voice. Tifa laughed and sat down on a stool next to him.

"So, am I allowed to tell Yuffie, Namine, and Olette so they can set you two up?" She asked in a hopeful voice.

"He doesn't even like me, Tifa. I mean…he's…Demyx. We're total opposites," Zexion voiced, his tone a bit melancholy. Tifa rolled her eyes and flicked her black hair back over her shoulders with a twitch of her head.

"So? Opposites attract…" She teased, "Anyway, I'm gonna call Yuffie right now, and she'll call Olette, who'll call Namine…and they're gonna get right on it!" Tifa said, smirking. She stood up and grabbed her cell phone from her pocket, flipping it open. Zexion jumped up, shaking his head wildly.

"NO! Do _not _call them, Tifa! Please! They can't try it! It won't work, except to embarrass me. There's _no way _it's going to work!" He shouted, trying to grab the cell from Tifa's hands. His quick reflexes came in handy, and he was able to yank it from her grip.

"I'm still gonna set you up…just wait," Tifa said with a wink.

"_Shit_," Zexion swore as Tifa walked away, a teasing smirk on her face. He slammed his head down on the counter. Out of the corner of his eyes, Demyx's hips continued to sway. _Shit._

----------------------

Rikku was observing the party playing out in front, and around her, with a partially empty cup in her hand, a pleasant buzz in her head, and a smile on her face. After gulping the last swig of alcohol from her cup, Rikku moved over to the overflowing trash bin to throw it away. Suddenly there was a flash of black hair and Rikku felt herself collide with someone, sending them to the floor.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, I didn't even see you!" Rikku exclaimed, lobbing her cup into the trash while she extended her left hand to the black haired girl.

"Don't worry about, you're not to blame," The girl said, throwing a glare over her shoulder where Axel was smirking at her, a joint held loosely between his lips as one hand rested on a short blonde kid's shoulder. "Fucker," The girl swore, rolling her eyes. Rikku just shrugged.

"I'm Rikku, by the way. From Destiny. And you are…?" Riku asked.

"Oh, I'm Tifa. I run with Twilight High. I remember you from last year's meets, you have a good sense of humor," Tifa commented with a smile; she was wearing tight blue jeans, a fitted black shirt, and bold pink Converses. Rikku shrugged, laughing.

"Either that, or I just do a lot of stupid things. I don't think I'll tell you which one's right," Rikku said, still giggling. "I take it you don't really get a long with Axel," Rikku said, looking back to the redhead who was now on the couch, lips locked with Roxas's. Tifa shrugged.

"We sort of hang out with the same people, so we tolerate each other, but we're not really friends. I don't agree with his whole 'use and abuse' theory," Tifa said, cutting off the conversation at that. Rikku took the hint, letting her gaze rest on Roxas for another moment before turning to see if she could spot anyone else from her team. Demyx was in a crowd of dancing kids, not really dancing with anyone specific, but with a combination of people. Rikku turned her attention back to Tifa, whose eyes were looking in the opposite direction, towards a kid with metallic-colored hair sitting at the counter. "That's Zexion," Tifa said without turning. "He's our best long-distance runner."

"He's been staring at Demyx a while now," Rikku commented, loving where this was going. Tifa caught on quickly, turning to her new friend with a sparkle in her eyes.

"You could say that…how about we think of something to give them a little…_push_," Tifa proposed, the gleam in her eyes getting more mischievous. Rikku allowed a smirk to appear on her face, holding out her hand.

"Let's do it," She said, smiling wider when Tifa shook her hand with a firm grip, sealing their pact. In a rush of enthusiasm and excitement Rikku pulled Tifa into a hug, practically bouncing up and down with excitement. Distantly she heard someone yelling to them about making out with each other, but she brushed it off for the project ahead of them. "I know Dem really well, so on his end this won't be hard. The only thing is, he's super crazy busy, so between his and Zexion's schedules we might have some work cut out for us. Still…we _have_ to make this happen! It'll be great," Rikku squealed, releasing Tifa whose eyebrows were raised at the blonde's excitement.

"Let's bring a few of my friends into this; you know Yuffie, Namine, and Ollette from track meets, right?" Tifa asked. Rikku thought about it, trying to remember if she knew them.

"Oh yeah! Namine is Kairi's really good friend, and Yuffie's that girl with the cute hair cut, and Ollette is the sister of Pence who is friends with Roxas…or maybe that's Sora…I can't remember. Anyway, that sounds fine, we can use my phone. I'll go grab Selphie and Kairi too," Rikku said, turning in the direction of the two girls on the dance floor. Tifa nodded and let her gaze fall back on Zexion; when the junior met her gaze she gave him a wink. _Project Zemyx, here we come! _She thought with a giggle, grabbing a can of unopened beer before heading to a room upstairs, three girls in tow.

-----------------------

"So…tell me what a fuck-up you were, Rox," Axel said, his voice sounding a bit hazy to both of their ears because of their drugged systems. Roxas shrugged, falling back into the couch.

"No. I'm not telling you that."

"It's juss…I really can't see you as that kind of kid y'know? I mean; you seem like Sora, but just a little more intense. You seem like the kind of kid that gets straight A's without studying, or the kind of kid that does chores all Saturday because your daddy asked you to. Come on…I wanna know what you did," Axel asked, his voice a little whiney. Roxas rolled his eyes and looked down at Axel, whose head was in his lap. How they had _ever _gotten in this position was beyond him.

"My dad's never home on Saturdays," Roxas said, his voice far away and his eyes growing a bit darker.

"So you live with your brother then, that Cloud guy over there?" Axel asked, his thumb jerking over to Cloud who was talking to Leon and a few of the other assistant coaches Riku knew. Roxas nodded.

"Yeah, but not until about two years ago. I guess…I don't know. My parents divorced when I was really little, and my mom took Cloud and moved to Hollow Bastion. I grew up at home with dad—but he was so work-obsessed. Still is. I mean; he was _never_ there. I hung at Sora's place a lot, but then I met some kids…and things sorta got outta hand," Roxas said ruefully.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean _drugs_, Axel. You know what I'm talking about. They were all older kids; I was in the eighth grade, they must have been…uh…seniors, freshmen in college…probably not even _going_ to school though. I was so damn _stupid_. I can't _believe _I did all that shit!" Roxas said, his voice turning bitter and hard. He ran his hand through his blonde spikes, sighing.

"So…what happened then? Or are you still with them?" Axel asked.

"Hell _no_, I'm not still with them. Cloud happened. He came home after college—running accident—and even though he was fucking depressed about it for a few months, he managed to sort of look after me. Somehow he found out about me hanging with Marluxia's gang, I think it was Sora who told him, and he freaked out. He found Marluxia one day, and beat the shit outta him. Broke his jaw, arm, ankle…I seriously thought Cloud was going to kill him. I've never seen him so mad."

"So that Marluxia bastard and his crowd didn't want you around anymore, because they were terrified of Cloud," Axel guessed, a knowing look on his face.

"Yeah. Basically. But by that time I was practically a coke addict—in fucking _eighth grade,_ Axel—and was going through all of these withdrawals. Missed school…had to deal with therapy and all that shit…was a bastard to Sora…actually, I was sort of a bastard to everyone."

"Dude, you still are," Axel commented. Roxas shoved his shoulder, rolling Axel off the couch with a thump. "See? You _are _a bastard," Axel mumbled into the floor.

"Yeah, I was _terrible _to Sora. Wouldn't even talk to him for most of my eighth grade year. And then when I started missing school and stuff to hang with Marluxia, Sora found out. He told Cloud…and I just hated him for it. I actually _punched _him in the face once…and then collapsed on the ground, shaking and clawing at my skin. He wiped the blood off his face, picked me up and brought me home. He stayed with me all night, distracting me and stuff," Roxas said softly, barely noticing as Axel sat down next to him again, pulling Roxas into his lap.

"You _were_ a fuck-up, Rox. Never would'a thought…"Axel said, his voice serious for once. Roxas smiled regretfully.

"Yeah, I really was. I never would have thought either…until it happened," The blonde whispered, resting his head on Axel's chest. '_Dude…I'm _not _suppose to like this kid_,' Roxas thought as he felt Axel's slim fingers running through his spiky hair. Maybe it was him, maybe it was the fact that he was completely stoned, but Roxas didn't really care about whatever Axel was doing. At least, he didn't _mind_ it.

………

Sora was sitting with Riku upstairs, looking through old track-meet records with the silver-haired boy. They dated back about thirty-four years, recalling each and every track event that had ever been timed. Apparently both Riku's parents had been runners in High School, although that had been the end of their career.

"So…did your parents meet on the track team? That's a little…"

"Weird. I know. They got married after college though, but they basically dated each other for, like, seven years. It's just weird," Riku said, laughing a bit. Sora raised his eyebrows.

"So your mom and dad met when they were, what? Fourteen? And got married about ten years later. That is a bit strange. I mean, what if I actually knew the person I was going to marry? That is super weird to think about," Sora commented, looking through the list of names and times on the sheet of paper in front of him. He was looking for one name in particular. "Oh, look. 'Roy Atari', graduated in seventy-eight. That's him."

"Your dad? That means our parents ran against each other," Riku pointed out, looking over Sora's shoulder to find Roy's times. "He broke a record for the eight-hundred. Look." Riku pointed to the time column for the eight-hundred meter race, underlining Roy Atari's time. Just before stating his time, there was the word 'record' printed. The full line read: 'Roy Atari: age sixteen. RECORD: 1:55:04'. Scrawled in red pen next to the name read: _Fucking __asshole!!!_ Sora laughed as he read that.

"I don't think your dad liked my dad when they were younger," He commented with an amused smile. Riku winced.

"Uh…yeah. Guess not. But ya know; that record your dad set, I think it's still standing. I mean, shit, it's only about ten seconds away from the _world_ record."

"Jeez, Riku, do you know _everything _about running?" Sora asked. Riku smirked.

"Just about," He replied, cocky arrogance seeping into his voice. "But seriously, not really. I'm just a bit obsessed with it, that's all."

"My dad would _love _to have a kid like you, Riku. I think I sort of know why your dad didn't like him much in high school. I've heard he was an arrogant asshole," Sora paused. "Much like yourself," He added with a teasing lilt. Riku was focused on the earlier part of Sora's statement, barely catching the insult attached at the end.

"Shut up," Riku said, smiling even though he tried to form his face into a glare. Sora laughed. A goddamn _beautiful_ laugh. Riku stared at the petite teen sitting next to him on the bed, marveling at how quickly he brightened up a room. He had never heard a laugh like that. Just a moment before Sora's face was cloudy, his eyes sad as he talked about his dad, and then he was just…laughing. But it wasn't just _laughing_. It was smiling, beaming, musical, hilarious, gorgeous, sexy…Riku was a bit overwhelmed. Suddenly an idea popped into Riku's head. "Sora…I know what you need to do." Sora stopped laughing, looking over at the silver-haired teen with a confused face.

"What?" He asked.

"You're going to beat your dad's record," Riku stated, in complete seriousness.

"That's impossible…I mean, my record time is…um…about seven seconds behind his," Sora protested, doing the math quickly in his head.

"So? You've got two months until state. That's enough time to cover seven seconds," Riku said, his face lighting up with excitement. "Listen, I'll help you train. Any day you've got free after track we can meet, ether here or on Destiny Island, or wherever. I mean, I guess you could do it with Roxas…or whatever, but—"

"No, I'd like to do it with you. I guess…if you really think I could do it, I'd give it a try," Sora said, cutting Riku off and smiling brightly. Riku nodded.

"Sweet! Sora, I _know_ you can do it."

"I don't know Riku…I mean, it was my _dad_. He's always been so damn _fast_," Sora said.

"Does he run with you?"

"Every morning; sometimes after track. Always on the weekends. On vacations…on holidays…on days I'm sick…on days I'm sore…Yeah, he runs with me." Sora's voice had grown melancholy again, and the brunette looked down, wrapping his arms around his own waist. Riku stayed silent for a moment.

"Sounds like he's pretty hardcore," He said softly. Sora nodded, still hanging his head.

"Yeah. He has all these expectations for me, to be just as good as him. And every time I don't measure up…it's like I'm worthless. He gives me this _look_. I'm _sick of it_. I _can't_ _EVER_ be as good as him. My best is never good enough, at least, not for him. I've tried _so hard_, Riku! I've run myself into unconsciousness before. Seriously. One second I was standing at the finish line, and then the next I was in the nurse's bed and my head hurt like hell. And I go back to the meet…and my dad just asks me where I was after the fifteen-hundred and why I missed my eight-hundred. I don't think I'll _ever_ be good enough, Riku," Sora whispered, so quietly Riku didn't hear parts of it. By the end of his speech, Sora's shoulders were shaking and tears were rolling down his cheeks and dripping onto the bedspread. Riku pulled Sora into his lap and wrapped his arms around the boy, holding him close. Sora continued to sob.

"Hey hey hey, don't worry, Sora. Everyone likes you the way you are, you don't have to prove anything to anyone. Not to Roxas, not to Cloud, not to your coach, not to me," Riku consoled, feeling Sora's small frame tremble with each heart-wrenching sob. Riku sighed mentally. He really hadn't meant to actually _fall_ for Sora. Hell no. He just wanted to screw around with him, make out, maybe sleep with him for a night and then move on. Sora was cute, that's what he noticed at first. But now…Riku knew that he actually _liked_ Sora. Wanted to be with him. For longer than three days. Sora was different than all the others, that was obvious. Sora was very different, because Riku didn't think he could just use Sora and then forget about him like everyone else.

"I'm sorry, Riku. Normally I'm not like this. I'm normally really happy and stuff…and not like this. Sorry," Sora whispered, wiggling out of Riku's arms.

"Sora…you don't have to pretend to be happy all the time, you know. You can just be _you_."

"Everyone expects me to be optimistic and happy. They _want_ me to be happy, Riku," Sora said quietly, his head down. Riku grabbed the smaller teen's jaw and pulled his face up gently. Sora's eyes were over-bright and full of tears, his cheeks streaked with damp lines and his lips tensed into a pout.

"_Listen to me_," Riku commanded. "Sora, you don't have to pretend to be _anything_, regardless of what anyone else wants you to be. Be _you_. It's good enough for Roxas, and it's _more_ than good enough for me," Riku whispered fiercely, wrapping Sora in a tight embrace and pressing his face into the sophomore's bony shoulder. "Can you meet me tomorrow?" Riku asked, rubbing absentminded circles on Sora's back.

"I'll have to ask my dad, I guess. It'd be great if we could meet at my school though. I know it's sort of a ways from here, but—"

"Sora, Destiny Islands is a _fifteen minute _ferry ride from here, no big deal. It'll take me twenty minutes to get there. I need to visit my mom anyway."

"Your mom lives on the island?" Sora asked, pulling out of Riku's arms to look at him with astonished eyes.

"Yeah. My parents are 'separated'. Meaning that they _would_ get divorced, but haven't found the time yet," Riku answered nonchalantly.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Sora said with a sympathetic smile.

"Nah. I don't mind. It's not like I won't be able to see mom or anything. She's fifteen minutes away," Riku said with a shrug. "Besides, their fighting was stressful to be around. Them splitting up was a decision the whole family made and agreed to. It'll be better this way."

"That's good, I guess," Sora said.

"So…what's your mom like?" Riku asked, praying that this wasn't a bad subject to bring up. Sora shrugged.

"She's nice." Riku breathed a sigh of relief. "But, she's not at home a lot. Both of my parents work at a law firm, which isn't doing so well right now. They've been putting in overtime for months now. She's around on weekends though," Sora said, shifting a bit in Riku's lap. Riku nodded.

"Yeah. My dad's like that, I guess. But not quite _always_ gone. He's an international trade marketer though, so he does shifts of about two months on, two months off. He just left about a week ago."

"Sounds like Roxas's dad. He travels a lot too. Have you ever been with your dad on a trip before?" Sora asked, his eyes lighting up. Riku smiled and shook his head.

"I don't even know what he _does_ over there. Just the name 'international trade marketer' sounds boring. I don't think I really _want_ to go with him!" Riku laughed. Sora grinned at his new friend as a loud crash was heard from downstairs. "Shit! I fucking _told_ Axel _not_ to screw around with the stereo!" Riku swore as he recognized the silence downstairs to be the absent of music. Sora grimaced, sliding out of Riku's lap—how did he get there again?—and stood up. Riku folded the binder of track records over on itself and dropped it carelessly on the floor. "I'd better go figure out how to fix the stereo. Come on," Riku said with a sigh, pausing for a second before heading out of the room to make sure Sora was coming too. Just as the two stepped into the crowded living room, the music started blaring once again, a powerful guitar solo screeching through the speakers. Axel was crouched in front of the CD player, which was no longer on the coffee table, fiddling with bass and tenor dials. Roxas was standing directly behind him, pointing out which dials to turn. The blonde waved to Sora when their eyes met, a laughing sparkle in Roxas's eyes that let Sora know he was completely smashed. Suddenly Riku grabbed his hand. "Let's dance."

Sora let himself be dragged over into the adjacent hall by Riku, who pulled him into the small crowd of kids and turned around to face him, clasping their hands together.

"Can you dance, Sora?" He said, a seductive undertone lowering his voice almost to a growl. Sora smiled.

"Wanna find out?" He asked in a sweet voice, wrapping his arms around Riku's waist and bringing their hips so close they were brushing against each other as they swayed. Riku blinked. "Hell _yes_ I can dance, Riku," Sora said, his voice mischievous and coy. All Riku could think was,_ 'damn'_, as Sora brought them even closer, placing Riku's hands on his slim hips and then placing his own hands on the junior's chest. Something in the sophomore's actions was coaxing a blush onto Riku's cheeks, which _never, never_ happened. Riku couldn't remember the last time someone had made him blush. And Sora was just _dancing_. But suddenly it seemed as if this wasn't really Sora anymore. Or maybe it was, just a different side. All of a sudden Sora had grown confident, his movements horribly, intoxicatingly sensual, his eyes closed and head tilted back just slightly. The Sora he had met a few hours ago was cute, adorable, innocent, shy, and uncertain. Something about Sora was intriguing to Riku, and the junior suddenly found that he wanted to know _all_ the sides of Sora. He wanted to know Sora's shy and uncertain side, his happy and bright side, his confident and sexy side…everything but his sad and depressed side. It didn't seem to _fit_ the short, brunette boy. With his gleaming blue eyes that captured the essence of the sun, Riku could loose himself in them. But when Sora's eyes were filled with tears…Riku had wanted nothing more than to stop them from rushing down Sora's perfect face.

Riku was snapped back to reality when Sora's hip brushed his already aroused groin, sparking a small moan from the silver-haired boy and a smirk from Sora. Riku scowled at him.

"Stop it, Sora. That's _not_ fair," Riku protested as Sora practically glued their hips together. Sora's lips were a shrinking _two inches_ from Riku's…and he was staring at him with those damnably _blue_ eyes which glittered teasing glints and gleams.

"SORA!" A voice broke the moment and Sora stumbled away from Riku, loosing his balance until Riku caught his arm and let him steady himself. Both turned to find Roxas over on the couch, still in Axel's lap, but staring at Sora. The blonde tapped his watch urgently, and Sora checked his own.

"Shit! I have to be home by six. I'm barely gonna make it!" Sora exclaimed, panic encasing his voice. He looked up to Riku, whose hand was still on his arm. "Thanks for—" Riku smiled.

"Let's take this outside, I can barely hear you in here," Riku said, taking Sora's hand and leading him towards the front door. Sora waved to Roxas as he grabbed his backpack by the door; the blonde's only response was to wave a bit sluggishly and smile. The redhead next to him whispered something in Roxas's ear, making him burst out laughing.

"I am _never_ going to let Roxas live this down," Sora commented with a laugh, watching Axel and Roxas sitting _on _each other, talking and laughing…for the most part…Riku snickered beside him quietly as he shut the door behind the two. Sora smiled up at the taller boy. "Thanks for letting me come, I had fun," He said honestly, his eyes smiling brightly as well as his lips.

"Wouldn't have let you miss it. I'm glad you came," Riku answered, his eyes drinking up Sora's body. Something about the brunette's small frame was very feminine; although not so much that he looked girly. Sora was slim, but his legs were strong from years of running, his arms slightly less developed. The younger teen's face was slightly rounded, giving him a carefree, youthful look. His nose was small and pert, and his lips…_kissable_, Riku thought. _Very, very kissable. Actually…ravishable…_ A quiet cough from Sora broke Riku's train of thought. He turned back to Sora's face, which was blushing at his intense scrutiny.

"Um…I guess I better go. I'll see you tomorrow right?" Sora asked.

"'Course. I'll drive you to the docks, come on."

"Oh, no, that's okay, really. I mean, the party and everything…and the docks are only about five minutes away," Sora protested, not wanting to make Riku feel obligated to take him.

"Don't worry 'bout it. I'd rather hang with you than all of those guys," Riku answered, jerking his thumb back towards the house. "It's getting dark out anyway; Twilight Town's normally pretty safe, but let's not take any chances, okay?" He joked, putting his arm around Sora's shoulder and leading him over to a small, silver sports car on one side of the driveway. He opened the passenger's door for Sora with a low, chauffeur's bow. Sora laughed at the impression, jumping in the car and slamming the door shut.

"Is this really your car?" Sora asked when Riku had started the car, his eyes traveling over the leather seats and tuning dials.

"Well, technically it's my dad's, but he lets me drive it when he's gone because mom's gone now. Nice, huh?" Riku asked with a knowing smirk, pulling smoothly onto the road. Sora just nodded. "So, about tomorrow. Can you meet me around…like, four at DIH?"

"Sure," Sora said, recognizing the abbreviation for 'Destiny Island High'. "Well…I still have to ask my dad. But anything that has to do with running, he's all for, so I'm sure I'll be able to make it. If something changes though, I'll call. 'Kay?" Riku nodded, a slight smile gracing his lips. He pulled into the ferry dock parking lot, slowing to a stop near the ramp. He turned the key and extracted it from the ignition, twirling the keys around in his hand. "Um…I know I've said 'thanks' a million times by now, but really Riku, thanks for being there today. My day…didn't start out so well. I owe you," Sora said, his voice tinged with shyness and a bit of insecurity, but his lips still smiling.

"Any time Sora. Here, take my number, call me whenever, just to talk," Riku said, scribbling his number on a receipt from a random store, and pressing it into Sora's hand. He left their fingers locked for a moment, just long enough to lean over to Sora and brush his lips over the brunette's cheek. "See you tomorrow," Riku whispered over Sora's lips, staring right into the teen's blue eyes. They were wide open in shock, but Riku couldn't see anything there that let him know this wasn't okay. Sora didn't move. "Sora…if you don't move, you stand a really good chance of being thoroughly made-out with tonight. Go on," Riku said, partly joking, but mostly serious. Not that he _didn't_ want to make-out with Sora, he just didn't think the younger teen would want that. Sora didn't move. "Is that an invitation then?" Riku asked; knowing Sora would leave now. No movement. And then a pair of hesitant, sweet lips were pressed to his own, gently pulling on his lower lip. Riku froze, absolutely _couldn't_ move, couldn't breathe, couldn't do _anything _except feel Sora's lips on his own.

"I _seriously_ have to go. I'll see you tomorrow," Sora said after pulling away, his cheeks blushing a fiery red. Riku didn't move as Sora grabbed his backpack, slung it over his shoulder and stepped out of the car. The junior's aquamarine eyes followed the boy as he ran down the ramp, yelling something to the ferry operator and running on board. Not thirty seconds later, the large boat chugged out of the small harbor and cruised away.

_Shit. This is going to be the _best_ track season_ ever, Riku thought, three fingers pressed to his burning lips. _I can't _wait_ to tell Axel._

* * *

Ha ha! I just LOVE writing this story! I want to write a million more 'track season' stories in a million other fandoms! (Which won't happen, but I can fantasize for the moment!) Maybe I'll do an HP 'some school sport' story. Hmm….

Anyway!...Review please! Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time, I didn't get to respond to all of you, but I'm going to try to. Thanks again.

Wykkyd


	8. Crash

**A/N: **I don't know how many of you actually ready my author's notes, but that's beside the point. To the few of you who _are_ reading this: thank you. Anyway…this is my favorite chapter out of the entire story (at least the part that is written), so I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for all the wonderful comments I got from you all last chapter…they made my week. :)

Hats off to the fabulouso betas: Riku-stalker and Bubble Master Califa!

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**Crash**

Sora bolted through the front door of his house, exactly ten minutes late. _Please don't let my dad be here yet,_ Sora thought, setting his backpack down and slipping his sneakers off. He jogged into the kitchen and found his mother there, chopping up lettuce for a salad.

"You're late, Sora," She snapped in an anal voice. Sora rolled his eyes. His mother was normally friendly, if not a bit uncaring, but recently stress had made her into a monster. Too much work.

Caroline Atari was a beautiful woman; beautiful and rich. Her father had been a wealthy business owner—the owner of a law firm with a few of the top lawyers in the western half of the States. Through constant exposure to his business, Caroline took to receiving a major in law and from there became a lawyer. She had met Roy when they were opposing attorneys during a trial. Now, the husband and wife duo owned their own law firm still practicing themselves. When Caroline's father had passed away she had received full inheritance and put half of it away and the other half into their business. Sora had a good idea that this money was the only thing keeping the small firm on its feet at the moment.

While starting dinner, Caroline was still in her work outfit. Sora assumed she had been meeting with all sorts of larger firms' directors today, regardless of the fact that it was Saturday. Her long, dark hair was done up in a professional bun, a slender bamboo stick that was carved into a whimsical design keeping it in place, and her suit was pressed neatly. Her large blue eyes mirrored Sora's, but they had long lost their innocence and playful quality to them long ago. Caroline was not a playful person, and Sora didn't really think she ever _had _been. She had a slender frame with a thin waist, like Sora, and legs that seemed to go on forever, unlike her son. Caroline was almost taller than Roy. When relaxed, Caroline's face looked perhaps a bit frustrated, or annoyed, but her smile could light up the room just like her son's, although her smile was underused. Sora had once thought that her uncaring and short-tempered personality didn't fit her looks, then he promptly regretted the thought. Caroline was doing her best, along with Roy, to support the family.

Sora put on a smile, trying to ignore how tired he suddenly was, and offered to take over Caroline's job at the cutting board. She nodded without a smile and handed him the knife before going to stir the pasta.

"Fix a salad, Sora, and then heat up the sauce. Come get me and Roy when you're finished and have the table set. We'll be in our office," Caroline said on her way out of the kitchen. Sora nodded wordlessly, even though knowing that his mother couldn't see it. She knew he would do what she asked. With a sigh, Sora finished cutting up the lettuce and put it in a large bowl, adding the tomatoes and carrots his mother had already cut up. While performing the mundane tasks, his mind wandered to review his day.

While he loved running with every sore muscle in his body, Sora was glad the track meet was over. Next weekend, the team would be traveling to Traverse Town…but that was seven days away. He had other things to think about. Like his 'date' at the track tomorrow, with Riku.

He had absolutely _no idea_ how Riku had come up with the idea to help Sora actually break one of his dad's still-standing records. It was insane, really. His record for the eight-hundred was _seven seconds_ behind his father's record, which might not seem like much, but when you were out there, lungs screaming for air and muscles screaming in pain…seven seconds could very well be an hour. Truly, it was _insane_. The only reason Sora had agreed to do it, was because he would be doing it with _Riku_. Who was undeniably…well, hot. Casually sexy.

Sora had found that he wasn't really instantaneously attracted to different people. Maybe it was the insecurity or uncertainty he had developed over the years of living with his father that always made him want to really know the people before he even _considered_ dating. It had been like that with Kairi, it had been that way with Nick—a sophomore who had moved away six months ago. But with that track record, Sora was a bit puzzled by his attraction to Riku, because…well, he didn't _know_ Riku. And even without knowing him, Sora wasn't going to deny that he liked him. A lot.

Sora called his parents in from their office, and the three sat down around the large table.

"So, how was the track meet today, Roy?" Caroline asked in a pleasant voice. Sora started poking at his food. He _hated _it when his mother did that. She would _never_ ask him about _his_ day, but she _always_ asked his father. Roy took a second to swallow before speaking, sending a glare at Sora.

"The meet went well, although Sora performed poorly. Absolutely failed his eight-hundred; the four-hundred isn't even worth mentioning," Roy said, still staring a hole through Sora's head, which was still down.

"Sora, don't play with your food," Caroline ordered. Sora's fork stopped pushing food around on the plate. "_Eat_, Sora," His mother snapped. Sora obeyed.

"Sora, you and I will have to have a talk after dinner. About your running today," Roy commented lightly, as if insinuating the two would actually sit down and _talk_. Sora squeezed his eyes shut for a moment while nodding, trying to stop his hands from trembling. He lifted a bit of salad to his mouth, his ears ringing with everything that went unsaid. God, he _hated _this family sometimes. His mother knew perfectly well what these 'talks' consisted of, Sora had told her once last year when Roy had almost broken his nose. She had made a light reply about how Roy was just trying to get him to work harder, and that Sora would be thankful for all of it in the end.

Now, Sora couldn't _wait_ for the end to come, like…college. Or something. He had thought about telling someone—most likely Kairi, or Roxas, or even Cloud—but his father had looked him in the eye and told him that if Sora _breathed_ a word of it to anyone, he would never run again. Which was a threat that kept Sora's mouth firmly shut. Running was what he lived for; there was no way he was going to jeopardize it.

"Sora, _eat_," Caroline commanded for the second time that evening.

"Listen to your mother, Sora. She knows best," Roy echoed. Sora sighed and started eating, hating both his parents more than he ever had at that moment, and feeling bad about it. _You're not supposed to hate your parents,_ Sora told himself_, they just want what's best for you. Uh huh…_

----------------------

Kairi was still wrapped in Sephie's arms, their hips swaying in unison in time to the music, a happy drunken gaze in their eyes. Selphie had been watching Roxas for the better part of twenty minutes, a bit concerned about the redhead that was on top of him for most of the time. Finally Roxas pushed the taller kid off of him, whispering something in his ear, and the two stood up to stagger over to the crowd of dancing teens. Roxas immediately wrapped his arms around Axel, although Selphie wasn't sure if that was to keep him steady and standing, or because he was just really drunk. She didn't think he'd do it because he _liked _the redhead…because that was…absolutely ridiculous.

When Axel stumbled nearer to the pair of dancing girls, Selphie tried her best to twist her face into a glare. She didn't like the redhead…she was _positive_ he was taking advantage of her friend. Axel seemed to catch her glance.

"Hey, it's the little mini-lezbos, one who has a _very_ bad attitude right now," He commented with a crooked smile, his speech slightly slurred. Selphie narrowed her eyes, glancing down at Kairi who was oblivious to the redhead at the moment.

"Shut it Mr. I'm-so-fucking-sloshed-I-can-hardly-stand-up, or I'll let everyone know who molested little Roxas," She snapped. To her surprise Axel just laughed.

"Molested? You're out of your mind, kiddo," He said, sliding one hand to curve around Roxas's ass. The blond reached up, placing his mouth on Axel's collar bone, mouthing it slightly. Axel smirked at Selphie and dragged Roxas away. She didn't look at them long enough to see them leaving for a room upstairs.

"Everything okay, Selph?" Kairi spoke up, looking at the brunette. Selphie nodded.

"Let's go get another drink," She suggested, pulling the pink-haired girl with her out of the throng of dancers.

--------------------

Sora did the dishes quickly—like his mother told him to—and wiped down all the counters and the table before moving out of the kitchen to find his father. Roy came into the room with a smile on his face that caused Sora's hands to start wringing themselves nervously behind his back.

"We can talk in here, Sora, your mother is resting in the living room right now," Roy said, sitting down at the kitchen table. Sora didn't move, waiting for his father to start talking. After several seconds of silence in which fear began to creep through Sora, Roy opened his mouth. "Alright. Where to start? You already know you were a disappointment today, don't you?" His father asked. Sora stayed silent until Roy jumped up from the table. Roy's son backed up quickly, his back slamming into the wall behind him, and Roy advanced a bit. "Don't you?" He asked again, his voice louder. Sora gave a timid nod. "_Tell me you understand you were a disappointment_!" Roy yelled, his face inches from Sora's.

"I-I k-know I w-was a dis-disappointment," Sora stammered, looking his father right in the eye for fear of looking away and being hit. Roy seemed to relax a bit, moving back to sit on the table.

"Good," He praised. "Now, what do I have to do to make you run faster? We train enough, don't we? Do you expect me to start going with you whenever you run, Sora? I can't. My business is _failing_! I don't have time to spend every damn minute of the day running with _you_! You need to take some initiative here, Sora. Stop being such a god damn lazy kid, will you? I want you to do well when you're older, and you could be a great runner, but not if you _walk everywhere_!" Roy yelled. "Start _running_, Sora. I want you to put every once of energy you have into running this season, do you understand?" Sora nodded stiffly as his father kept talking. "No more spending free-time with friends until you can start _winning_ at these meets, do you hear me? You don't _have_ free-time until you can start _running_. Is that clear?" Roy said, anger making his voice tight. Retaliation was burning its way up Sora's throat, but he couldn't say anything. Instead, he just whispered a 'yes' when his father looked at him, waiting for an answer.

And then Roy was at Sora's side again, his fist slamming into the wall inches from Sora's trembling shoulder. The young teen winced and moved away before Roy grabbed him and threw Sora onto the floor, delivering a painfully strong kick to his son's stomach.

"You weren't home to help your mother start dinner because you were partying!" Roy yelled, his large fist connecting with Sora's left shoulder as Roy's other hand pinned down his son's right arm. "Sora, I gave you permission to go, as long as you were _home by six_. Were you even _listening to me_ when I told you that?" Sora nodded.

"Dad, the ferry left ten minutes late…I couldn't have done anything!" Sora cried out, the lie slipping through his teeth easily. There was _no way in hell_ Roy was going to find out what he had _really_ been doing. A hit to his stomach fully winded him, but his father's bruising grip on his arm wouldn't relent. "Please, I'm sorry. It won't happen again…stop, dad, _stop!_" Sora cried, struggling to get away as tears of pain spilled down his cheeks.

"SORA!" His father boomed, stilling the boy instantaneously, fear turning the young runner's blue eyes stormy. "We're running tomorrow; two hours. Be up at seven. I will _not_ _tolerate you being late_."

"I h-have a ton of homework tomorrow, dad, I d-don't have t-time," Sora protested out of necessity. He _did _have homework. His father's iron grip loosened around his arm and Sora pushed himself up only to be grabbed by his father again, the man's strong hands squeezing his shoulders.

"Be up at seven. We'll be running for two and a half hours. Do your homework tonight," Roy snarled in dangerously low tones.

"B-but—" Roy grabbed the front of Sora's shirt, rage and frustration consuming him, and threw his son into the kitchen table.

Sora felt his chest and upper arm hit a chair, and then his head slam into the edge of the table. His world blinked black for a moment before Sora opened his eyes to see he was alone in the kitchen, and lying on the floor in a crumpled heap of bony limbs. He couldn't tell if he had passed out, or just closed his eyes for a moment, but his father wasn't there…and that was all he cared about right then. His conversation with his father had Sora rising to his feet—he had homework to do.

While walking up the stairs Sora's limbs felt sluggish, and his head felt like a brick. His small hand gripped the railing hard enough to turn his knuckles white, fighting off dizzy spells and waves of nausea. It didn't look like he was going to be able to do homework tonight.

--------------------------------

Tifa and Rikku spent several hours plotting 'operation: Zemyx', although they both agreed that they would have to wait to do anything until Demyx and Zexion _kind-of_ realized the attraction between them. Plus, there were the two boy's ridiculously busy schedules to work around.

"We'll figure something out, Tif," Rikku assured her new friend with a yawn. She looked at her wrist watch, raising her eyebrows when she realized it was almost five in the morning. "Oh, how the _hell_ did it get to be four thirty in the morning?" She moaned. "Am I supposed to _swim_ home?" She exclaimed with a small chuckled. Tifa rolled her eyes.

"Naw, crash at my place. I'm just down the road, we can walk," Tifa offered.

"Sounds good….but _first_…I think we need to leave a bit of a mess for Riku," She added with a cheeky smile. Tifa smirked and headed out of the room, waving for Rikku to follow her.

-------------------------------

A shrill alarm broke Sora's sleep, which had been bordering on a deeper kind of unconsciousness. Sora swore loudly before slamming a fist on his alarm clock and knocking it to the floor, his ears ringing painfully with the loud noise. _I _swear_ it wasn't that loud yesterday_. Under his father's threat, Sora sat up in bed, noticing he hadn't even changed into pajamas last night.

As Sora stepped out of bed and shuffled over to his dresser, his stomach heaved, dizziness exploding in his head. With frantic, off-balance steps Sora careened into his bathroom and grabbed the rim of the toilet just in time to heave up the meager dinner and lunch he had eaten yesterday. Thirty seconds later he was left with a horribly acidic taste in his mouth, a horribly acidic smell in his nose, and a horribly acidic feeling in his stomach, which was still having spasms. And all he could think of was that he had approximately twenty minutes to get ready for a two-and-a-half hour run. With his dad.

Sora got to his feet on shaky legs and rinsed his mouth out in the sink, reaching to turn on the light as he did so. The brunette glanced at his reflection in the mirror, grimacing at the bruises he could see on his upper arms, just below the sleeve of his shirt. It would definitely be a week for long-sleeve shirts.

After rinsing his mouth out with about a gallon of mouthwash in an effort to get the acrid taste of vomit out of his mouth, Sora shuffled back into his room, his stomach still feeling like it was about to remove any other substances in it. Without changing into his running shorts, Sora walked out in the hall, wincing at the bright sunlight streaming through the large windows. His head started throbbing all over again. Knocking lightly on his parent's bedroom door, Sora called for his father. Roy appeared at the door, his eyes flicking over his son's appearance. Sora was pale, his arms bruised, and his hair messier than normal with a thin line of sweat on his forehead. His clothes were rumpled and creased, and he didn't appear to be steady on his feet. Roy looked his son in the eye and raised his eyebrows.

"Uh…dad, I'm really sick, I think. I can't run today, I'm really sorry! I really need to get better for practice tomorrow, you know?" Sora said, words and excuses tumbling from his mouth in rapid succession. Roy's face tensed for a moment before relaxing again, and he stepped into the hall and shut the door to his room quietly behind him.

"Sora, you didn't mention you weren't feeling well last night," He said quietly. Sora took a step away from him, extending one hand behind him to grip the railing as another dizzy spell hit him.

"I was fine last night."

"Your mother and I will be going out in a bit then, and I'll have a list of chores for you to do. After that, you can take the day to rest. But Sora, you are _not_ to see _anyone_ today, is that clear?" Sora felt the sharp and all-too-familiar sting of his father's hand on his cheek, forcing his head to jerk to the right. The teen brought his hand up to his cheek, trying to rub the sting out of it as he looked back up at his father and nodded. He was never allowed to see people after his father had bruised him, in case someone became suspicious. He'd have to call Riku and cancel their four o'clock meeting, not to mention he couldn't run today anyway.

"I understand, father," Sora whispered.

"Good. Your mother and I will be back late tonight, but we'll be running tomorrow, extra long to make up for today." With that, Roy turned away from his son and went back into his room. Sora waved slightly to his mother who was sitting up in bed now, obviously awake. She gave him a small smile before turning to her husband and greeting him with a slow kiss. Sora turned away from them and went back into his room, dragging the trashcan over to his bed just in case his stomach decided to throw up anything left before he climbed into bed and lay down with a sigh. Today was going to suck.

With another sigh he reached for his cell phone on his nightstand and dragged Riku's number out from his pant's pocket. After dialing Sora pressed the phone to his ear and waited, cringing a bit at the loud rings projecting from the phone.

"_Hello_?" Riku's voice said.

"Oh, hi Riku. This is Sora. Hope this isn't too early to call."

"_Hey Sora! I needed to wake up early today anyway. So, we can meet today, right?"_ Riku asked. Sora sighed.

"Um, actually, I got really sick today, and I can hardly stand up, let alone run. I'm really, really sorry, Riku."

"_Damn. But are you okay?_" Riku asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just really sick and tired and stuff," Sora answered.

"_Do you want me to come over sometime today? I'm gonna be over there visiting my mom at one, but I could come over a bit before that,"_ Riku offered. Sora smiled, really wanting to see Riku today. 'Course, he wasn't allowed to see anyone today, but his dad wasn't home anyway. It was worth the risk.

"I'd love it if you came over, but I don't want you to get sick too," Sora said.

"_Don't worry 'bout it. I'll be over at noon; that okay?_" Riku asked.

"That's fine."

"_Do you want me to bring you anything from town_?"

"Don't go through the trouble, Riku. I'll be fine. Thanks though," Sora said shyly.

"_Okay, I'll see you in…five hours. I'll call you when I'm off the ferry so you can tell me where your place is. I have your home phone number. Can't wait, kiddo_!"

"Hey!" Sora protested, scowling at being called 'kiddo'. Riku wasn't _that_ much older than him.

"_See ya_," Riku said, just before hanging up. Sora set his phone down next to him on the bed and laid back, intent on going back to sleep.

------------------------

"Riku, what _happened _to you, man?" The named teen spun around, his silver hair flipping in front of his face for a moment.

"What?" He asked incredulously, pulling a different shirt over his head.

"You're _Riku_, normally you find someone, fuck 'em, and ditch 'em. I don't think you've ever done _this_," Axel pointed out, watching his friend dash around his house which was still a mess from the party last night. "Hey, do you have anything for a headache?" Axel asked suddenly.

"Bathroom cabinet. Look there. What do mean by '_this'_?" Riku asked, stopping halfway down the hall to look at his friend.

"You're acting attached to this kid."

"Oh, _that_. You know…Sora's really different. I don't really know what it is about him that I'm so damn attracted to, but it's _something_. I really actually like him, you know, like, as a person. Not as something to fuck and throw away," Riku said slowly, as if spelling his own thoughts out to himself as well as to Axel. The redhead snickered a bit at the far-away look on Riku's face before standing up and shuffling into the bathroom, looking for some Tylenol. He heard Riku yell something to him about Roxas.

"What was that?" Axel said after going back into the hall, swallowing three pills with a glass of water.

"I said, what about you and Roxas? Are you done with him? Or…is he _special_ too?" Riku teased lightly, falling back onto the couch in the living room. Axel shrugged.

"He's not _special_, Riku. I'm not a softy like you, ya know," Axel commented. "But actually, I'm not done with him. He's too good of a kisser, which is more than you can say for Mini I'm sure."

"I really wouldn't know. As much as I felt like ravishing him last night in the car…he sort of kissed me, and then ran off to the ferry," Riku said.

"Wait…you said that you actually _did_ kiss him?" Axel said, making his way into the kitchen to get some coffee.

"No. _He_ kissed _me_. You know, I can't figure him out. One minute he's as shy as hell, the next he's having a breakdown, the next he's all sexy and confident, and the next he's…well, kissing me. Sora's confusing," Riku said, following the senior into the kitchen.

"Breakdown? What's with the sophomores at Destiny High and _breakdowns_? Seriously, Roxas has some serious shit in his past," Axel commented. "Actually, the only reason he told me was 'cause he was completely wasted, but still." Riku looked at his friend in confusion.

"What are you talking about, Ax?"

"I'm talking about _Roxas_, you idiot. I don't know what's up with Mini, but Roxas was a pretty fucked up kid back in…eighth grade, I think. Coke addict, hung out with these dick—"

"Wait wait wait," Riku held up a hand to stop Axel. "You said that _Roxas_ was a _coke addict_ in _eight-fucking-grade_? Are you fucking screwing around with me?"

"No way, man. Guess his dad was never home, divorce or something. Then that coach Cloud showed up."

"Yeah, I heard they were brothers," Riku said, pulling out two bagels and shoving them in the toaster.

"So, what's with Sora then?" Axel asked, grimacing at the taste of his black coffee. Riku raised an eyebrow, but Axel just shook his head. He couldn't go home with a hangover. As Riku watched their bagels rotating in the toaster oven, he started talking.

"I think Sora's just having issues with his bastard of a father right now. That Roy Atari. He sounds like a pretty hard-core guy; has all these expectations for Sora. You know how much I _hate_ that man, Axel? He is a complete _dick_. I mean, I overheard him talking to Sora, and he was completely _bashing_ the kid. And then he comes around the corner and starts praising me and everything, and talking about how poorly Sora ran, when he _knew_ Sora could hear him!" Riku vented, running his hands through his silky hair in frustration. "It's fucking verbal _abuse_, Axel! But I go back there, to where Sora is, and the kid's completely destroyed. He was _sobbing_, because of that _bastard_!"

"Riku, cool off, man. You don't even know the guy. Maybe Sora's dad was just having a bad day, you never know," Axel said. Riku glared at the bagels, not looking up at his friend.

"No. Sora says his dad does that all the time. He really looks up to his dad, I think, but his dad has absolutely no respect for him. Seriously Ax, Roy Atari is verbally abusing his son," Riku stated with absolute certainty. Axel rolled his eyes.

"Riku, I don't know. How do you know Sora was even telling the truth when he said it happened all the time? I mean, he might have just been really worked up and was really mad at his dad," Axel suggested. Riku spun around.

"NO Axel! Sora was fucking crying _his heart out_ in my arms! You don't lie when you're in that sort of situation. You just DON'T! The first time I met him he had just been talking to Roy, and he's all depressed. And then the second time I talk to him, he's crying behind the school, right after talking with his dad. And then last night, we're up in my room and he's all smiling, and then I ask if he runs with his dad, and he's back to being depressed, and then he's ranting and _crying_! He wasn't fucking lying about _any of it_!" Riku raged, his eyes sparking with anger. Axel held up his hands, coffee cup still held by his left.

"Chill, Riku, _chill_. I know you're pissed off about this and everything, but you can't do anything about it."

"I know," Riku said, his voice considerably softer. "I just want to be there for him, I guess. I know he's got Roxas, and Cloud, but…I want to be there too."

"You're such a sap, Riku. What am I going to do with you?" Axel joked. "But seriously, what about talking to Zexion about it? He might know something about this…I mean, he—"

"Zex's dad _physically_ abused him, Axel. I don't think Sora's dad would go _that_ far," Riku said, grabbing some cream cheese from the fridge and spreading it on the bagels.

"You should call him sometime today when you get back. He might know something, you never know," Axel suggested, taking the bagel offered to him. Riku just sighed and sat down on the counter, staring at the floor. "Dude, we don't need another emo kid around here. Zexion's enough. Don't get so tied up with the whole Sora thing. Just go visit him today, say hi to your mom, give Roxas my number—'cause I forgot last night—and come back here to talk to Zex. No big deal."

"You're right Ax. We're going to clean this place up though, first. Help me," Riku commanded, shoving the rest of the bagel in his mouth and jumping off the counter. He could hear Axel swearing behind him as the two walked into the living room and started righting all the tipped furniture and grabbing the trash off the floor. "So…you see Leon last night?" Riku asked as him and Axel righted the loveseat. Axel shook his head. "He was _all over_ that Cloud guy, Roxas's bro? I've never actually seen Leon be that…social before."

"Social? Does that involve his tongue down the poor guy's throat?" Axel asked with a smirk.

"Poor guy? Are you kidding? I wouldn't mind _at all_ if Leon wanted to shove his tongue down my throat," Riku said, prompting a bout of laughter from Axel.

"That's the Riku I know!"

"Not to say I'd want Sora's tongue down my throat any less."

"Whatever, Riku. You're a fucking lovesick puppy."

"Bitch!"

"Did you just call me a bitch?"

"How about bastard?"

"Much better."

"Only you, Axel, only you."

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this! There's a bit of everything in this chapter…maybe that's why I like it so much.

I'd LOVE and ADORE to hear from you guys. Please comment.

Wykkyd


	9. Aftermath

**A/N**: Thanks to all the great people who reviewed! Wow….I'm just shocked at how many reviews I got for the last few chapters…it's incredibly encouraging! Not too much to say for this chapter, except that I developed Cloud and Leon's stories a bit more, so you guys should have fun with that. Enjoy!

As always, thanks to my lovely betas: Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker. They're wonderful in every way!

**

* * *

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**Track Season**

**Aftermath**

Riku knocked on the door to Sora's house, a shopping bag slung over his arm and two smoothies in his hands. Sora opened the door, his face smiling.

"Hey Riku, come on in," He greeted, opening up the door.

"Where do you want these?" Riku said, holding up the smoothies. Sora's eyes widened.

"Oh! Right. Um…why don't you just put those on the coffee table. You didn't have to bring those, you know, but thanks anyway! Strawberry, right?" The brunette asked. Riku winked at him.

"Right on," He said, setting the drinks down on two coasters and sitting down on the coach, setting the bag at his feet.

"Listen," Sora called from the kitchen, "I have to finish cleaning the kitchen, but it'll only be a few more minutes. You can turn on the TV if you want; the remote's on the table to the left of the green couch." Riku stood up and walked into the kitchen to find Sora scrubbing the counters, his hands slightly shaky. Riku walked up behind him and took the sponge from Sora's hand.

"Sora, you're sick. Go lay down, you look as if you're about to pass out," Riku said. "I'll finish the counters okay?" He saw Sora's mouth opening, no doubt to protest, but Riku put his finger to the sophomore's lips. "I'm serious. Go lay down," He insisted, pushing Sora's lower back gently. Sora rolled his eyes and shuffled out of the kitchen, stumbling a bit and catching himself just in time on the table.

Three minutes later Riku came back into the living room to find Sora curled up on the couch, sipping the smoothie Riku had brought for him. The silver-haired boy grabbed his own drink and settled down next to Sora, their shoulders touching.

"How're you feeling?" He asked, looking at Sora in concern. The younger teen shrugged.

"Nauseous. And I'm pretty sure the only way to get rid of this headache is to OD on Aleeve, or Advil or something," Sora said glumly. Riku laughed.

"Have you eaten anything all day?" Sora looked at him, one eyebrow raised.

"What was that, _mom_?" He asked in a sweet voice.

"Have you eaten anything all day?" Riku repeated, actually wanting to know, mother comments aside. Sora gave him another look, then shook his head.

"Nah. Completely lost my appetite. My stomach's sorta been rejecting matter all morning anyway. A smoothie should be fine though," Sora answered. Riku pushed himself back so his back was resting against the armrest of the couch, and then he swung his legs up as well, pulling Sora's back against his chest and in between his legs. The junior grabbed the TV remote from the table behind him and clicked on the television.

"What do you want to watch?" He whispered in Sora's ear, loving the little shiver that he gave Sora. Sora's face was turned away from him, but Riku knew he was blushing right now.

"Anything's fine," Sora mumbled, finally relaxing into the position enough to put his head back on Riku's chest. He heard Riku flipping through channels for a minute or two before settling on a random super hero cartoon. The older boy's left arm slid underneath Sora's and wrapped around the boy's slim waist, while his other hand ran through Sora's hair. The brunette sighted contentedly and continued to sip his smoothie, his eyes staring at the television, but not really paying attention to it. He was much too focused on Riku's fingers toying with his hair.

It was impossible _not_ to notice the huge bump on Sora's scalp, slightly towards the left side of his head and a bit forward as well. As Sora began to drift off into a light sleep, lulled by the consistent strokes of Riku's fingers, Riku leaned forward a bit to get a better look at the swelling. Sora's pale scalp was hideously bruised at that point, and Riku could see a trickle of dry blood that ran through the brunette's hair for a few centimeters. _My god, Sora must have hit his head _hard_ to do that_, Riku thought, making sure that he didn't press on the agitated area while combing his fingers through Sora's hair.

Riku laid his forehead on Sora's shoulder, letting his eyes flicker shut as he breathed in the boy's scent. Sora smelled fresh, even when sick, like he had just been running outside. Immediately, Riku loved it. Somehow it just fit Sora.

Lightly, the junior from Twilight Town put his palm against the sleeping Sora's forehead, wondering if he had a fever. The smooth skin was cool—no fever. Riku shifted a bit, pulling Sora a bit closer to him and wrapping both arms around the slender waist, leaving the cinnamon-colored hair alone for the moment. Riku sighed, looking down at Sora's adorable face. Normally, he wouldn't be doing this. He had never really felt this way before about someone. Like he actually _cared_. 'Course, he cared about all of his friends, but that was a different kind of caring. He didn't feel the same way about Axel, or Zexion, or Tifa. He hadn't even felt this way about Naminé, and he had dated her for a few _weeks_. _Sora…look what you've done to me_, Riku thought with a smile, pressing his lips to Sora's neck and feeling the younger boy lean into his touch.

--------------------

Rikku woke up late, disoriented and with a headache. _Where am I…did I…oh my god, where the hell am I?_ She thought frantically, looking around. She was lying in a bed, empty save for her, which probably meant she didn't do anything incredibly stupid last night. Running a hand through her braided hair, she got up, trying to straighten her clothing out so she didn't look like she had slept in it. The clock on the wall read eleven ten in the morning—yes, she had definitely slept late. When the door opened and a familiar face smiled at her, Rikku remembered last night with clarity. She hit her forehead.

"Trying to figure out where you were?" Tifa asked with a chuckle. Rikku rolled her eyes. "Well, I have breakfast waiting for us in the office up here—mom's cleaning downstairs, and trust me, you _don't_ want to be within ten yards of her when she's in cleaning mode," Tifa warned, walking out of the room with Rikku just behind her. Turning left, Tifa led the blonde into another room, bowing with a flourish.

"Pancakes! I _love_ pancakes!" Rikku gushed, her wide eyes taking in the stacks of pancakes, maple and cherry syrup. Tifa smiled.

"Good. I love 'em too," She said, sitting down at the card table where her mother had set up breakfast. A half-hour later Rikku set her silverware down, smiling at her new friend.

"Thanks for letting me stay for the night, and breakfast, and all that. It's…nice to be somewhere that isn't, like, a _shrine_ for my mom. My house can be a bit depressing with all her pictures everywhere, ya know?" Rikku said. Tifa picked up on the unspoken words, nodding her head.

"Yeah, that's gotta be hard. If it's ever…too much or something, feel free to drop by here, 'kay?" She said with a smile, grabbing their dishes. "Let's bring this stuff down. _Then…_do you think you could give me a tour of Destiny Island?" She said with a hopeful expression. Rikku shrugged.

"Uh yeah…let's see…there's Main Street, and then there's neighborhoods. Tour over," She said. Tifa rolled her eyes.

"Whatever Rikku, that still sounds like fun. Are ya busy?" Rikku shook her head.

"Nope, I'd be glad to show you around, Tif."

--------------------

When Sora woke, Riku was gone, but there was a note from him on the table. Sora groggily picked it up, rubbing his eyes to rid himself of blurry vision.

_Sora! _

_Sorry I left without saying goodbye, didn't want to wake you up._

_I left my smoothie in the fridge—you can have it if you want, probably need it more than me anyway. _

_I'll be on the island until around two thirty; if you need something just call my cell. Call me tonight_

_anyway, I want to know if you're doing any better._

_-Riku_

Sora finished reading the note with a smile. His first impression of Riku had been…well, much different from how Riku actually acted, it seemed. Tucking the note in his pocket—so his father didn't see it lying around—Sora settled back into the pillows on the couch and grabbed his phone off the table, dialing Roxas's number. After about five rings his friend picked up.

"_Yeah?_"

"Hey Rox."

"_Oh, hey Sora. You get home in time last night?_"

"Barely," Sora lied. "I owe you one."

"_You looked pretty comfortable with Riku pressed up against your hips,_" Roxas teased. Sora rolled his eyes with a 'hmfff'.

"And _you_ didn't seem like you minded with that Axel kid's head in your lap…or you in _his_ lap for that matter…" Sora retaliated.

"_So when Riku came back I seriously thought he was high on something he was so happy. Did you _already_ let him make out with you_?" Roxas teased again.

"Shut up, Roxas. _No,_ he didn't make out with anyone last night. Well…at least not me. I dunno what he did when he got back to his house."

"_He grabbed Axel and dragged him over to a corner of the room and started talking to him. After about two minutes he let Axel go because Axel was too drunk to really respond to anything Riku was saying anyway. Still, I wasn't kidding when I said Riku was fucking _ecstatic_ when he came back. After talking to Axel he just sorta milled around I think; I saw him talking to Dem once, and that long-distance runner kid…uh…Zexion."_

"Oh. Uh…cool. So you and Axel did…_what_, exactly, last night?" Sora asked, partly concerned for his friend, but mostly just curious. Roxas had been so adamant about his dislike of the older teen for the duration of the track meet, it was a bit odd and more than a little amusing to see them lying on each other at Riku's party.

"_Sora…I wasn't sober last night. I don't remember half the things I did with him, or half the drugs I was on—but I was not sober. So don't start thinking that I like Axel just because I was sitting on his lap or whatever. He's still an arrogant asshole with weird eyes_," Roxas said in one breath. Sora couldn't help but laugh and roll his eyes. Yeah, Roxas definitely liked this Axel. Still…

"How old is he?"

"_Senior, I think. Seventeen probably; maybe eighteen, but probably not_," Roxas answered nonchalantly. Sora sighed, knowing his friend really wouldn't care about things like age difference. Not after Marluxia's gang…not after Saïx or Larxene. Still, Sora knew that he wasn't _really_ as concerned as he appeared to be about age difference. Axel just didn't seem like the most…law-abiding of people.

"Seventeen is still two years older than you, though," Sora put in, just to assure himself that he _tried_, even though he knew Roxas would blow it off.

"Sor_aaaa, it was one _fucking night_! I'm not gonna see him again or anything. And even if I did, two years isn't that big of a deal. Axel said Riku was a year younger than him, so Riku's a year older than you, and I know you want to see him again_," Roxas said.

"One year isn't as big of a deal as two."

"_That's lame, Sora, and you know it. You also know it's not age difference you're worried about_," Roxas said softly. He loved that Sora was always so worried, but it got annoying sometimes. When this happened, Roxas would always remember just _why_ Sora was always concerned. He heard Sora sigh for the millionth time through the receiver.

"Roxas…of _course_ I'm worried about that. Axel's just…well; he's almost like them. I mean, not _exactly_ like them, but you never know. I mean, I don't really know him, and you don't either. I just…I just don't want anything to happen," Sora whispered.

"_Nothing's going to happen, Sora. It was one drunken night. Sure, Axel might be a little hardcore, but I didn't get into any trouble last night. I _promise_, Sora. I won't let you down—or Cloud—again. Have a little faith man_," Roxas said, trying to lighten the mood with his last comment, and failing.

"I know, Roxas. But…god, I _don't_ know."

"I _do. And I know you were worried, and Cloud was staring at me all night last night—even as my mouth was glued to Axel's—and that was super embarrassing, but I know he's worried too. Nothing's going to happen again. Maluxia is goddamn history. You've got to believe me, Sora, because I know that Cloud really doesn't. I mean…he always says he does, but I know he's sort of lying. He watches me pretty close now_," Roxas said. "_God, this a depressing conversation. Hey…why don't we go down to the smoothie place and grab something? I wanna get out of the house; Cloud's not here and it's boring_," Roxas suggested. Sora paused. His dad _had _told him he wouldn't be home until late…on the other hand…he still felt like he was going to puke his brains out if he stood up.

"Uh…actually, I'm really sick today. And I don't feet like heaving up my feeble lunch of a strawberry smoothie, so I'm gonna have to pass."

"_Where'd you get the smoothie?_" Damn. Roxas was always so observant.

"Uh…Riku stopped by. He brought it."

"_Oh Prince Charming right there_," Roxas drawled sarcastically.

"Shuddup," Sora mumbled.

"_Well, hope you're feeling better by tomorrow; I'll see you then, okay_?" Sora smiled.

"Yeah. Can't wait." He heard a soft beep on the other end of the call signaling that Roxas had broken their connection. His brow furrowed, Sora flipped his phone shut and tossed it back on the table. He didn't really know why he had added that last sentence. He saw Roxas practically every day, minus Sunday. He was _never_ allowed out on a Sunday. Because Sunday was after Saturday, and Saturday was track-meet-day. And he could _never_ live up to his father's standards at meets.

With a heavy sigh, Sora sank back into the pillows and closed his eyes. He just wanted to _sleep_.

--------------

Kairi and Selphie flopped down on individual ferry seats, looking a bit worse for wear. Despite their headaches and sluggish limbs, the two were in good humor, chatting and laughing.

"You're hair is an absolute _mess_," Kairi said with a laugh. Selphie rolled her eyes.

"Darling, you don't even want to _know_ what _you're_ face looks like right now." Both simultaneously looked down at their clothes.

"This is almost comical," Kairi exclaimed, just before the two broke into fits of laughter. Several chattering old woman glared at the two girls, subtly pointing and exclaiming the atrociousness of young people these days. Selphie caught the ladies in a glare.

"Take a fucking picture, ladies. It'll last longer," She snapped. Kairi laid a hand on her arm to calm Selphie down, sending an apologetic look to the taken-aback ladies. "I _hate_ judgmental people!" Selphie said under her breath.

"Come off it, Selph. Think of our grandparents or something…they would be saying the same things, probably," She reasoned. As Selphie opened her mouth to respond, two new girls joined their group.

"Hey you two, I didn't think you'd still be over here," Rikku said, giving the two a quick hug and then sitting down next to Kairi. Selphie shrugged.

"Figured it was safer that way; we crashed at Naminé's…and barely managed to get out before her tight-ass mom caught us," She said with an amused smile. Rikku snorted.

"You two are a crack-up. Oh, and this is Tifa. Tifa, Kairi and Selphie," Rikku said, waving her hand around to make her introduction clearer. Tifa smiled at the two younger girls.

"Yeah, saw you guys last night. You were really…uh—"

"Tifa? Parties don't come with us to Destiny, 'kay? We aren't talking about last night," Kairi said with a slightly embarrassed smile. Tifa just winked, sitting down next to Rikku.

"Got it," She said with a confident toss of her hair. There was a moment of silence before Rikku spoke up again.

"Yeah, but they weren't as…you know…as Roxas or that redhead," She commented.

"_Rikku_! I _just said _that we don't—" Kairi started.

"God, those two fucking went at it on the bed that _we_ were on first. Like, we went into the hall, and we could _still_ hear them!" Tifa exclaimed. Selphie looked grossed out.

"Okay, Roxas is our _friend_ here…and Kairi and I don't need to know those details," The brunette said slowly.

"They _did_?" Kairi gasped, completely ignoring Selphie when the girl smacked Kairi's shoulder. "Roxas is going to be so _pissed_!" Rikku laughed.

"No, that was last night," She reminded in a sing-song voice.

"Not _that_ kind of pissed, Rikku. I mean, he's going to be furious! He ranted all day about that redhead," Kairi said.

"Can you spell 'sexual frustration'?" Rikku asked with a wide grin.

"S, E, X, U…"

"Shut up, Selph."

--------------------------

Cloud wandered through the streets of Twilight Town with a scowl on his face. Damn kids at the track. What were they even _doing _there? Cloud's scowl deepened. The Destiny Island high school track was absolutely _run over_ by tons of little kids and their fucking _dogs_. Which pissed Cloud off, because he was in a running mood—screw his leg. He just wouldn't overdo it. But god…he needed to _run_. He _wanted_ to.

At moments like this, Cloud found himself hating Sephiroth with every fiber in his body. He had trusted him as a friend…hell, as a goddamn _lover_, and then…well…something happened. Cloud knew—somewhere deep inside him—that Sephiroth never loved him, that his professions were all lies that Cloud ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But still, he couldn't seem to believe it. Maybe he just didn't want to acknowledge his heartbreak, maybe he just didn't want to face that the only man he had really, _really_ loved had only done it to eliminate him as competition. Cloud had never told his younger brother what Sephiroth _really_ was, he had only told Roxas that Sephiroth was the man who had cut the tendon in his leg with a knife. Roxas had always been confused by his brother's depression after he had come home from college, but figured Cloud was just disappointed that he could never run on contract. It had taken the teen involvement in drugs for Cloud to realize he couldn't just live life inside their house crying for Sephiroth at night, and hating him during the day.

Realizing his hands had balled into clenched fists and his expression had turned from one of observant interest to one of menacing anger, Cloud shook his head and continued walking. His destination was the track at the Twilight Town High School, where he wouldn't have to deal with some dumb-ass dog show for first graders.

Cloud was lucky that he was the only person on the track that day—well, there was one other person, but they wouldn't be much of a nuisance. Without paying much attention to the lone man walking around the track, Cloud stretched out his right leg a bit so he wouldn't re-injure his permanently-damaged tendon. Taking an agonizingly slow pace out of concern for his safety, Cloud began jogging around the track, already feeling better than he had in days. It was only until he was a few meters away from the walking man that he realized who it was. Broad shoulders, muscular frame, chin-length shaggy hair.

"Shit," Cloud breathed quietly, slowing his pace to a walk. At that moment Leon turned, nodding his head in greeting. Cloud blushed, remembering last night. Well, parts of it at least. Leon, on the other hand, didn't give any indication that the two of them had spent a very intoxicated night locked at the lips. Cloud still couldn't believe he had done that. He had _sworn_ to himself that he would not spend his time getting drunk and playing around with other guys. But last night had been an accident. Sure, Leon was as sexy and gorgeous as they come, but Cloud had sworn off love. He had given his heart to Sephiroth willingly, and stood there as it was thrown in his face. He wasn't opposed to flirting a bit, the occasional one-night stand, but it wouldn't go anywhere. Leon wasn't going to find a lover in him.

"Get home alright last night?" Leon said in a low voice, waiting until Cloud had caught up with him. Out of politeness Cloud slowed to a walk, even though he really wanted to put distance between him and the sultry brunette.

"Uh…yeah. Wasn't too bad; I was just worried about Rox," Cloud said, feeling the rather tense atmosphere around the two of them. Leon seemed oblivious to it.

"Your brother's a funny kid." Suddenly, something that had been bothering Cloud came to mind. Axel. And Leon, being one of the coaches on Axel's team would definitely know about the redhead.

"Hey Leon, could you tell me anything about Axel?" Cloud asked a bit hesitantly. Leon smirked.

"What? Worried about Roxas?" Cloud didn't answer. "Fine. Axel's…an interesting one. I don't think you'll have to worry about him anymore; he's not the kind of kid that stays with someone for more than…oh…three or four hours. He's definitely one of those rebel party kids though. Hates his dad. He's smart enough to stay out of the dangerous situations, but he could fool me sometimes," Leon said. Cloud couldn't help but laugh at this.

"So…he's not a druggie?"

"You _are _worried about your brother!" Leon said in a very knowing tone that Cloud found he didn't like. "It's understandable, but Roxas is a smart kid. I can tell."

"He's not _always_ smart," Cloud muttered, just loud enough for Leon to hear. Apparently Leon heard something in his tone of voice because the brunette turned his head sharply to look at Cloud.

"You know, maybe you should tell me what kind of kid _Roxas_ is, Cloud." The blonde-haired man shivered a bit when Leon voiced his name. Somehow it reminded him of Sephiroth's tone whenever he whispered it…Cloud jerked himself out of his memories. He was lucky Sephiroth hadn't come to the meet in person yesterday—that would have been even worse.

"I don't think that's any of your business," Cloud snapped, the sentence coming out much more rudely than intended. "Oh, sorry. I…uh…well, it's not—"

"Hey man, its okay. But…in case you want someone your own age to spill to, I'm here. And that's a notable offer; I'm not the sentimental type."

"I can tell," Cloud said under his breath, a hint of amusement in his voice. "But seriously, I might just take you up on that offer someday. Destiny Islands consists of two age groups…old guys and young kids. It's like…retirement city…and their grandkids."

"Most college-age kids, or just-out-of-college-age kids are gone. Why'd _you _go home after college? Destiny Islands is so damn _small_." Cloud laughed.

"It is. I wasn't really planning to stay there for any long amount of time. Just a few months until I could…get back on my feet, I guess. Then I was going to either come here or go to Traverse Town. I've always loved the city."

"So why didn't you come here after a few months?" Leon asked, curious. Cloud was silent for a moment before answering, and even then he spoke quietly, his voice full of sadness.

"Roxas." Leon didn't react to this, which Cloud was thankful for. He didn't want to go into this right now. Still…Leon would make a good friend. Looking into the brunette's stunning eyes, Cloud smiled. "I'm going to continue, if you don't mind." Without waiting for Leon's answer, Cloud jogged off, leaving an intensely curious man behind him. Leon shook his head, his storm-blue eyes following Cloud's lithe body as the blonde moved around the track. Cloud's story was blocky…and something very important was missing from it. First off, Leon had noticed the blonde never answered his question about why he went back to the island after college. And then Cloud had said that he was going to come to Twilight Town or Traverse Town after "getting back on his feet". Cloud had said he loved the city, but there were actually three major cities around here. Twilight and Traverse Town, and Hollow Bastion—which Cloud hadn't planned on visiting.

Leon wasn't someone who spent their time talking. He was an observer. He could tell that Cloud really _had_ wanted to go to the city, and yet somehow, Roxas had prevented him. And then there was the questions about Axel…"_So…he's not a druggie_?" Cloud didn't seem like the kind of guy who was paranoid about drugs or alcohol…just last night he had gotten completely smashed. But what about Roxas? Had Roxas done something a few years ago? Leon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Cloud was a mystery…and frankly, one he would like to crack.

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Hope you all liked this chapter! Don't forget to review (just so you guys know, out of all my posted stories here, you guys are by FAR the best group of reviewers. Clap yourselves on the back: really!)

-Wykkyd


	10. Running in Circles

**A/N: **Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter; I apologize to those of you who I didn't get a chance to reply to, but I love you all! You are very much appreciated.

As always, thanks to my betas: Bubble Master Califa (who is solely responsible for Rikku and Tifa's involvement in this story as well as quite a few other things) and Riku-stalker (grammar and spelling extraordinaire). Thanks a million you two!

**

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**

**Track Season**

**Running in Circles**

Leon was _still_ walking around the track and watching Cloud. The blonde had lapped him three times by now, igniting a competitive spark that Leon refused to satisfy. He wasn't some stupid high school kid who made everything into a competition. The brunette knew about Cloud's knee injury of course, hell, half the _country_ did. It had been big news a few years ago, especially because Cloud was a runner with a huge amount of potential for the rest of his career. Leon couldn't remember the details, but he knew that the blonde's knee had been slashed with a knife, cutting into his hamstring or something like that. From what he had remembered, the attack had been unprovoked, and Cloud had never revealed the name of his attacker.

Unlike Cloud, Leon knew that his injury _had _been provoked. He had been a bit haughty and overconfident at the time, excited by his potential. And that man had just exploded—more out of jealousy than anything—giving him sharp comments about how he would never make it in the sports world. Leon _knew _he shouldn't have responded to that by slamming his fist into the guy's face, but he had always been the one to act first, think later in a situation like that. In retrospect, that time would have been a prime opportunity to back off…_before_ the man had shattered the bones in his knee with one blow. Leon winced at the memory. And now…that man was the coach of Hollow Bastion's track team. Sephiroth. As far as Leon's thoughts went, that man should be in jail…but his injury wasn't caused by an unprovoked attack. So jail was out of the question at the moment. Still, Leon wouldn't stop trying, and he certainly could dream.

Cloud's presence beside him broke Leon's chain of thoughts and caused him to look over at the other man, who was walking next to him, their pace one-and-the-same.

"Hey," Leon offered, a bit confused. Cloud nodded in response and turned to look at Leon.

"How'd your knee get hurt?" The blonde asked, out of the blue. The slightly older man had to struggle to keep the surprise off his face; where had _that _come from? Leon paused, not sure if he should answer, but Cloud's piercing gaze finally drilled a hole in him and he opened his mouth.

"A fight. Happened a few years ago, just before you got hurt I think. I was being egoistical, I'll admit it, and picked a fight with the wrong guy I guess."

"Where is he now?"

"The guy? He's back in Hollow Bastion. He was someone I ran against when I was younger," Leon answered nonchalantly, trying to pretend that he was completely over the accident. The brunette saw Cloud nod slowly out of the corner of his eye.

"Why do you think he did it? Injured you, I mean," Cloud asked. Leon sighed.

"You sure ask a lot of questions," He commented. The blonde shrugged.

"I guess I want a lot of answers."

"What about _you_ then?" Leon asked, his curiosity finally over-coming him. Cloud looked at the older man for a moment, before letting his gaze fall back to the black track at his feet. Forgetting his previously-asked question, Cloud began talking.

"You probably know most of it. I guess it was covered pretty well by sports reporters; I never read any of the articles though. Anyway, there isn't much to tell. I had gotten in a fight with this…one guy, and because he was a really good friend of mine, I went back later that night to apologize." Cloud paused right there, as if trying to collect his thoughts. Leon stole a glance at him and noticed the slightly pained expression on his face. "I don't know if he was drunk, or if he just didn't want to accept my apology, but he punched me…and when I woke up there was blood all over the floor and then I was in the hospital with nurses surrounding my bed. It wouldn't have been so bad if my hamstring wasn't permanently damaged." Leon was silent, taking in all this information.

"You can still jog though," He stated. Cloud nodded.

"Just to stretch my leg out. Nothing too fast, and not for too long; can't be too much over walking pace," Cloud answered quietly. The two men walked two hundred meters in silence, each lost in memories of the past. As they came around to the bleachers, Cloud stopped and turned to Leon. "Hey, thanks for talking with me today, I appreciate it." Leon shrugged, letting a smile slide onto his face.

"No problem." There was a split second of silence before Leon took a small breath and leaned into Cloud, grasping the younger man's shoulders and pressing their lips together. The blonde hesitated there, and Leon could feel him start to respond before Cloud suddenly reeled back, tears sparking in his eyes and his breaths coming short and quick. Leon took a step toward him, immediately worried that kissing Cloud was the wrong thing to do. "Cloud, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that—" It was true. It just…happened. Cloud shook his head.

"No, I'm fine. It's just…Leon, you're a great guy, but last night…it can't happen again. I was drunk…not thinking…I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry. I just…can't do that anymore," Cloud breathed, before turning his back and walking quickly away from the brunette, wiping the tears from his cheeks.

Leon had never been the sentimental type, but something in him made him want to run after Cloud and hold him close, whispering comforting words in his ear. But this was real life…not some romance movie. So Leon stayed stock-still, staring after Cloud with confused eyes. Cloud didn't want to do _what _anymore? Another puzzle piece fell into the pile.

--------------------

Rikku and Tifa stood at the train station, waving to Kairi and Selphie who were headed home to clean up. Rikku glanced down at her own ruffled clothes and rolled her eyes.

"I really need to change…" She said slowly, glancing down the street in the direction of her home.

"Sure, we can just stop by your house…unless you don't want to go there," Tifa added when she saw the sad look on Rikku's face. Her new friend nodded.

"I just don't want to ruin a perfectly good day by going home right now," Rikku replied, suddenly looking up with a spark in her eye. "How's this? We stop by the bank, I get some money, you get some money…" She trailed off with a smile.

"_Shopping spree_!" Both girls squealed, taking off in the direction of the bank and ignoring the stares of Destiny Island inhabitants and tourists.

Fifteen minutes later the girls stood outside the bank.

"Where to first, Rikku?" Tifa asked, looking down the street.

"There is this _awesome_ clothing store that you just _have_ to see. They have all these crazy clothes that come from some weird little company somewhere else in the world, and they're prices are amazing! I practically _live_ there," Rikku exclaimed in one breath, grabbing hold of Tifa's hand and dragging her off. The owner of the shop Rikku had gushed about greeting the blonde girl as if she was an old friend, laughing as Rikku launched into a tale of the party last night.

"Go pick something out and get _changed_, girl, you smell like shit," The owner said with a laugh, pushing Rikku further into the store. Tifa followed her, grabbing things off hangers and shelves that caught her eye.

An hour later the two girls emerged onto the street again, Rikku dressed in a pair of army-green cargo pants and an orange tank top, and Tifa holding a large bag of clothes.

"Ever had sea salt icecream?" Rikku asked with a smile. Tifa shook her head. "Well, that'll be our next stop then!"

--------------------

Roxas was sitting on the couch, browsing through channels on the TV when Cloud came bursting through the door, tears streaking down his face. The television was immediately shut off, and Roxas turned to face his older brother.

It was rare that Cloud ever showed much emotion at all. He was a happy guy for the most part, but while he always had a smile for Roxas and Sora, there were few other people who had seen it. So now, to see Cloud in tears and looking thoroughly distraught, the man's younger brother was immediately on edge.

"Cloud, what happened? Are you okay?" Roxas asked quietly, making to stand up and go over to his brother. The older blonde shook his head, wiping his cheeks with his hands and ridding them of all tears.

"I'm fine, Roxas. Just…I'll be upstairs." With that, Cloud walked up the stairs and moments later Roxas heard the door to his bedroom slam shut.

The younger Strife fell backwards onto the couch, sighing. Normally Cloud was the one who took care of _him_, and now that it seemed Cloud needed someone Roxas didn't know what to do. Cloud had always been so mature about everything, always making sure that Roxas was doing alright. Suddenly, Roxas began wondering if everything was okay with _Cloud_. The blonde sighed again and buried his hands in his unruly mop of hair, slouching into the pillows. Sora would know what to do…because Sora _always _knew how to handle tears. That was one really great thing about Sora; it was like he could read emotions. The young brunette had always been sympathetic and caring to someone who was upset enough to cry over it. Roxas was the one who would smile a bit at the upset person, and pat their back awkwardly while staying silent. He didn't like situations like that. But Sora was sick today, and asleep, and Roxas couldn't bring himself to wake his best friend up when he clearly needed the rest. So instead of calling Sora, Roxas stood up and stepped quietly up the stairs, walking to the door of his brother's room. His hand paused for a second before knocking lightly on the door and calling Cloud's name. Silence greeted his ears, so Roxas pushed the door open a bit and peered into the room to see his brother lying face-down on the bed.

"Hey Cloud? Are you okay?" No reply. "Can I come in then?"

"Roxas, go away. I'm fine, and I can take care of myself." With a small smile at his brother's stubborn attitude, Roxas walked into the room and sat down on Cloud's bed. He knew that if it had been _him_ that had been upset, he would have been screaming at Cloud to leave him alone, and to get out of his room, as well as a whole bunch of profanity. _Looks like that's one difference between me and Cloud,_ Roxas thought. Gingerly, as if Cloud would react violently, Roxas laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. Cloud tried to shrug it off, unsuccessfully, and finally rolled over to glare at Roxas. "What do you want, Roxas?" He asked in a tired voice. Roxas looked down at his lap for a moment.

"To know what happened, I guess."

"Nothing happened." Roxas rolled his eyes and looked pointedly at Cloud, letting his older brother know he wasn't buying it. "It's over anyway. I dealt with it, and I'm fine."

"You've said that three times since you got home and look! You're_ still _crying," Roxas pointed out, curling his legs underneath him on Cloud's bed. He heard Cloud sigh.

"Roxas—"

"Dude, just tell me what's up! I'm not stupid, I can tell something's wrong, and that you're _not_ fine," Roxas stated, looking sternly at his brother. "Don't treat me like a four-year-old." Cloud rolled back over into the pillow, although he turned his head sideways so he could still talk.

"I'm not treating you like you're four, Rox. I just…don't think you need to know about this. It's my deal."

"Come on, Cloud. You can tell me," Roxas persuaded. Cloud was silent for a moment before sighing.

"Fine, but don't interrupt." Roxas settled back, a small smile on his face. "You know of Sephiroth right? The guy who injured me?" Roxas nodded, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Well, what I never told anyone, was that Sephiroth and I…well, we dated for a while. More than a while, I guess. We were in college together, and I sort of knew him when we were younger in Hollow Bastion. We dated for two years…and then we had this fight. I was stressed out with a million finals I had to take; I needed to study, and he wanted to go clubbing. So I told him that I couldn't go with him, and he started ranting about how I never did anything with him and all that. I walked out on him and came back later to apologize. Roxas, I really liked Sephiroth. I mean, _really_ liked him. I guess I could say that I loved him. He was…perfect for me, it seemed. But when I went back that night—maybe he was drunk, I don't know—he punched me in the face and I blacked out. Woke up later in the hospital, my leg slashed through.

"I don't know what I'm going to do when he comes to the next track meet. I can't tell if I hate him, or if I'm still in love with him. And I don't know _why_ he injured me so badly. Of all the things he could have done…" Cloud trailed off, more tears flowing from his eyes, which were squeezed shut. Roxas was silent, overcome by sympathy for his broken-hearted brother, and with anger towards Sephiroth, the man who had injured Cloud in more than one way.

"So what happened today?" Roxas whispered.

"Saw Leon at the track. He kissed me, and I freaked out. I don't know why, I mean we were kissing last night. But I was drunk. And today…I had been thinking about Seph and everything, and when Leon kissed me…I guess it was too much. He probably thinks I'm completely stupid now," Cloud moaned. Roxas couldn't hold his laugh in.

"Cloud, you're acting like a high school girl. Maybe you should give Leon a chance," Roxas commented. Cloud shook his head.

"I don't know what I feel about Sephiroth yet, and I want to wait before I'm over it completely."

"Cloud, it's been _two fucking years_!" Roxas said loudly. "Just go out with Leon! Sephiroth doesn't matter anymore."

"If he doesn't matter so much, Rox, then why do I still cry over him? Then why did I freak out when Leon kissed me?" Cloud yelled, sitting upright and scowling at his brother. Roxas shrugged, ignoring his brother's outburst.

"Go out with Leon; at _least_ give the guy a chance. You never know," Roxas said.

"I'm not using Leon to get over Seph," Cloud stated firmly.

"Technically, it's not 'using him'. Leave your morals at the door, and go fuck Leon. Seriously, what guy can say 'no' to sex?" Roxas asked with a smirk. Cloud looked shocked.

"Roxas! You're a _sophomore_ in _high school_! Do _not_ recommend sex to me! Please,_ please_ tell me you're a virgin!" Cloud pleaded. Roxas smirked.

"Maybe."

"Dammit Roxas, I'm being serious. Have you had sex?" Cloud asked, his face reflecting the serious tone in his voice. Roxas rolled his eyes.

"You're my older brother, there's no _way_ I'm telling you if I'm a virgin or not."

"Roxas…" Cloud warned, looking straight at his brother. Suddenly Roxas burst out laughing.

"No! Are you happy? I'm still a virgin," The younger blonde said with a chuckle, although his eyes grew dark for a moment. Cloud punched his shoulder with a playful glare.

"What would dad have said if I'd let you have sex with some mysterious kid," Roxas's older brother said. Roxas laughed.

"Dad's not here enough to care, so it really doesn't matter." Cloud smiled at him.

"Thanks Rox, for listening to me." Suddenly, Cloud found himself with an armful of Roxas, who was clinging to his muscled shoulders. With a kind face, Cloud wrapped his arm around Roxas's smaller form.

"You should have told me sooner Cloud. I'm gonna beat the shit outta Sephiroth," Roxas said in a joking tone. Cloud couldn't help but laugh.

"You do that, Rox, you do that."

----------------------

Rikku grabbed her friend's hand once more, pulling her along to their last stop. Both were carrying quite a few more bags, loaded to the brim with all sorts of items, from platform shoes to rollerblades. The automatic doors to the pharmacy slid open, admitting both of them side-by-side. As Rikku wandered to the other end of the store to see if her favorite type of foundation was in supply, Tifa caught sight of a familiar silver-haired boy.

"Riku! What you doing here?" She asked, flinging her arms around him in a big hug. He shrugged out of her grip, holding up a purple bottle.

"First I'm getting that shampoo that's, like, _always_ on a special order. But I…_convinced_ the woman at the counter to let me take it with me," He said with a smirk. Tifa shook her head, holding up a hand.

"I don't wanna know. But why come _here_ for…shampoo?" She asked. They had shampoo in Twilight Town…didn't they? Riku laughed, seeming to read her thoughts.

"I'm visiting Sora, and then I'll head over to my mom's," He answered, a gleam in his eye. Tifa just rolled her eyes and laughed, tempted to tease him, but deciding that it would probably be better to make sure that Rikku wasn't tearing some employee apart because her make-up hadn't been re-ordered. She told her excuse to Riku, who looked a little confused, and continued to the back of the store. Rikku was indeed not tearing anyone apart; she was calmly looking at other options, because her foundation still hadn't come in yet, she was told by a 'Bart'.

"Hey," Rikku greeted, looking up at her friend. "Who'd you run into?"

"Riku; that silver-haired kid from my team," Tifa answered.

"Oh _yeah, _Roxas and Axel ended up in _his_ room…" She announced with a laugh. Tifa made a disgusted face.

"New topic. _Now_," She said, laughing as well.

--------------------

Sephiroth was perfectly happy to spend his Sunday at the track, watching his team run endless laps until half of them were more stumbling along than running. His team captain came up to him, sweat pouring into his eyes and his bangs plastered to his forehead.

"Coach, we need to stop before someone hurts themselves," He gasped, his hands on his knees as he struggled to get enough oxygen.

"Get on your feet and keep going. You will stop when I _tell_ you to," Sephiroth snapped, crossing his arms and glancing at his watch. He saw his captain's eyes flash in anger, but the boy backed down and made his way back onto the track, taking a slow jog. "Pick it _up_!" Sephiroth yelled, "There is a reason for this training, girl scouts! You're _abysmal _performance yesterday was _unacceptable_!" He finished. _Pathetic. Dismal. Waste of my goddamn time,_ he thought, answering his cell phone as it cut off his thoughts. "Yes?" He spat.

"Sir, this Tracy from the Destiny Island Pharmacy, your special order--" A timid woman's phone said.

"Is this about the Sleek and Shiny? _My_ Sleek…did you _lose_ it?" He said, his voice rising with frustration.

"Sir, the woman at the counter today sold the last bottle—your reservation. I'm very sorry; we have three more bottles on express order. We'll have them up there with you in four days," She said, hanging up before the man could explode. His gaze went back to his team, narrowing in on one boy who was collapsed on the ground. "Xigbar, Xaldin, get that useless, piece-of-_shit_ boy on the stands and get running again," Sephiroth screamed, throwing his cell phone at the boy on the ground in anger and storming over to the stands, grabbing his clipboard and writing furiously.

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Here's a link to a spin-off story that Bubble Master Califa is writing. For all you lemon-heads out there, this is one for you. Please take note that not everything written in Cool Off actually happened in Track Season; and it doesn't necessarily follow the same time-frame as TS. I'd recomend it though...especially if you're wanting a see a bit more...uh...'action' between our couples. ;) If the link below doesn't work (copy and paste, take all spaces out), then do a search for Track Season: Cool Off, by Bubble Master Califa.

http :// www . fanfiction . net / s / 3677480 / 1 / TrackSeasonCoolOff

I'd love it if you would leave a review for this TS chapter, or the whole story, or whatever you are compelled to do. Each and every word you guys write to me is my inspiration for many things in this story. Thanks.

Wykkyd


	11. Headache

**A/N**: Why did this chapter take so long? I was on vacation. Sorry this was so delayed, but I'm home now, so there shouldn't be too many more long waits. School's starting though, so I'm not promising super-fast updates. So…thanks for waiting so patiently everyone, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

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**Track Season**

**Headache**

Sora found that his headache had lessened a bit overnight and his limbs didn't seem like lead anymore. He had regained his appetite, but decided to skip breakfast anyway so he wouldn't throw it all up at school, or while running with Roy. The brunette jumped into his shower, taking a quick rinse before hopping out again and dressing in running shorts and a loose, long-sleeved tee-shirt. He didn't bother drying his wet hair; it would dry itself while he was running. As he was washing his sickly-pale face, Sora's father pounded on the door and yelled for his son to meet him at the front door in thirty seconds. Grabbing his pair of running shoes from the messy floor of his room, Sora dashed down the stairs and out the door, not even bothering to grab a light jacket to ward off the slightly chilly morning air.

Five minutes into their morning jog, Sora figured out that it would be a long haul today. The constant jarring of his feet slamming into the concrete sidewalk was bringing his headache back in full force, and shaking his legs back to their weakened and leaden state of yesterday. Soon, Sora's face had melted from a determined expression to one of pain and concern for his own condition. What was he going to do at practice later today?

By the time Sora and his father had gotten back to the house, Sora had half an hour to get ready for school. Walking on shaking legs and fighting a new wave of dizziness induced by his hard workout that morning, Sora tramped up the stairs back to his bedroom and dragged himself into the shower. After rinsing the sweat off his body he sat down and leaned against the glass doors, his knees pulled to his chest and his pounding head resting upon them, the hot water splattering around him. School was going to be hell.

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When Roy and Caroline left for work ten minutes before Sora had to leave for school, the sophomore called Roxas and asked if he could walk down to their house and get a ride. He didn't feel like walking long distances at the moment, with his headache and drowsy conscious.

"Sora…_Sora_," Roxas said, shaking his friend slightly on the shoulder and snapping the brunette back to reality.

"Yeah?" He asked quietly, his head leaning against the window.

"You still look sick. Like, pale and all that. You sure you want to come to school today?" Roxas asked. Sora nodded.

"Yeah."

"Where are your parents?" Cloud asked from the driver's seat.

"At work." Cloud nodded in understanding, his blue eyes flicking to the rear-view mirror to catch Sora leaning back on the headrest with his eyes closed. Roxas was right: the smaller boy was very pale. The older Strife was tempted to press the issue of Sora staying home for the day, but figured that Sora would be the best judge of that in the first place.

Cloud couldn't help but find it odd that Sora's parents rarely, if never, gave Sora a ride to school. Their law office, Atari Law & Co., opened at nine in the morning, yet the Atari's always left the house before Sora even left for school. The small boy often ran or walked to Destiny High, occasionally asking Cloud and Roxas for a ride on days when the weather was atrocious.

As Cloud swung into the school parking lot and his two passengers climbed out, he called Roxas back to the car for a moment.

"Rox, keep an eye on Sora today. Make sure he's not super sick. I don't want him exhausted for the entire week…we have a big meet coming up on Saturday," Cloud said. Roxas nodded in understanding, thanked his older sibling for the ride, and dashed into the building.

Sora was already in their homeroom by the time Roxas showed up, his signature five minutes late. By now the teacher didn't even look up from her lecture as Roxas sauntered into the room and sat down next to Sora, whose head was laid on his arms and his eyes shut. Normally Roxas would have made sure he was awake, but Sora looked exhausted. He would just make sure to take notes for the kid.

The next time Roxas saw Sora was at lunch. As always, the talk revolved around the track meet last week, everyone discussing times. Sora, Roxas noticed, was unusually quiet and didn't eat a thing. His answers were short, and after about ten minutes he excused himself and walked out of the cafeteria. Demyx looked after him thoughtfully.

"You know, I had Health with Sora, and he practically slept through it. I mean, Health is lame, but Sora _never _sleeps through class." Selphie said and Kairi nodded.

"He looked really distracted in Biology too, seriously spacey. He's _got_ to be sick or something, Sora's never like that," Kairi added, her eyes flicking to the others sitting around their table. Reno and Rude just shrugged, as seniors they didn't have any classes with Sora anyway, although both could tell something was up with the kid.

"Maybe he's just tired. You never know. I bet he'll be fine tomorrow," Demyx said optimistically. The rest of the group nodded and went back to their lively discussion about the meet that week, with the exception of Roxas. The blonde smiled at everyone, shoved his cookie in Demyx's direction and his bag of chips in Selphie's, then stood up and grabbed his backpack.

"I'm gonna go check on Sora, make sure he's okay," Roxas said before heading after his friend.

The blonde sophomore located Sora sitting outside, leaning against the trunk of a large willow tree near the track. Groups of kids milled around, some eating, some toggling a soccer ball back and forth between themselves. Setting his backpack down first, Roxas took a seat next to his friend, looking over to him. The brunette seemed to be asleep, but his blue eyes soon fluttered open and saw his friend sitting beside him.

"Oh, hey Rox," He said, exhaustion apparent in his voice.

"You know, I think you should go to the nurse. Get a pass and head home for the day. You look really bad, and you've slept through half of your classes anyway," Roxas said, getting straight to the point. Sora shook his head slowly.

"No. I don't want to get behind." Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Dude, I'll bring you your homework later tonight if you want," The blonde offered.

"No—"

"Sora, don't be stupid. Are you still sick, or just tired?"

"I'm not sure. Sick, I guess. My head really hurts, and it's hard to pay attention in class. Probably 'cause I'm so tired. I feel really weak too." Roxas rolled his eyes again.

"Try _eating_ something. Food does wonders for people who haven't eaten," The blonde commented sarcastically, a smile on his face despite the concern in his eyes. Sora shook his head a bit.

"I don't want to puke it up later today, that'd be really embarrassing."

"Oh come on! You could be like Hayner! Remember that time?" Roxas said, laughing a bit at the memory of Hayner in geometry last year. Sora cracked a smile as well.

"_No_," He said flatly, chuckling a bit.

"Seriously though, Sora, if you're worried about throwing up in class, you _definitely _shouldn't be here today. All you have left is P.E, English, History, and track anyway. Cid won't mind if you skip track 'cause you're sick, History's stupid anyway, English is easy, and I don't think you should be playing basketball today. Just _go home_. I'll bet you could call Cloud and he'd pick you up," Roxas said.

"I don't want to bother him. Plus, I _need_ to go to track today. Don't worry about it Rox, I'll probably be fine in a few hours. I'll skip P.E I guess…or get a pass into study hall or something."

"Great! I can skip with you," Roxas said, a huge smile on his face. He hadn't been looking forward to basketball anyway. Seriously, what were you supposed to do in that game if you were five feet tall? Sora laughed a bit, leaning his head back on the tree and closing his eyes again, his face turned to the sun. The bell sounded throughout the school grounds and Roxas stood up, pulling Sora to his feet by the boy's hands and making sure he had his balance before letting go.

"Come on, let's get a pass and head to the library," Roxas said, taking Sora's arm and pulling him in the direction of the school.

---------------------

Riku sat with his friends at lunch, the Twilight Town High cafeteria buzzing with chatter. Around him, Axel, Tifa, Zexion and the rest of the gain were talking loudly about the meet on Saturday, and the party that took place afterwards. Riku found himself laughing and nodding at appropriate times, but he was caught up with thoughts of Sora to pay too much attention. He didn't like how hard he had fallen for the brunette, but he pushed those thoughts out of the way to wonder if his…friend was feeling any better. He had looked pretty bad yesterday…

"Earth to Riku, come in Riku," Axel said, breaking into his thoughts. The redhead rolled his eyes when Riku shook his head slightly and smiled at him. "_Please _tell me you weren't thinking about Mini," Axel said with a moan. Riku just rolled his eyes, picking up his sandwich. "I knew it," Axel continued, "I'm pretty sure I already warned you not to fall for him…but like you'd ever listen to me," He finished with a sarcastic drawl.

"Okay, what about Roxas then? Or is that more of a 'want what you can't have' kind of thing?" Riku asked with a smirk on his face. Axel shoved him into Zexion, who was sitting on the other side of Riku. "I want to see him, Axel. But that would look a little…obsessive…" He trailed off. Axel snorted.

"Not really, man. I mean, you said he kissed you the other night, so he probably wouldn't think too much of it…except to give you that cheery little smile of his," Axel commented with another laugh. Riku glared at him.

"Hey, you can _not_ start hitting on him now," He warned.

"Me? Lemme tell ya, Riku, Mr. Sunshine is _not_ my type. You don't have to worry at all," He said with a toss of his hair.

"Good. Anyway, maybe I'll go see him tomorrow…I just remembered that the Lit teacher's gonna pile homework on us today. She said so last Friday," Riku said. There were several curses from the others at the table as they remembered as well.

"Oh, Axel! Rikku wanted me to give this back to you," Tifa exclaimed suddenly, reaching into her pocket. She chucked two small, red packages at him. "She didn't think you'd go all the way with someone without those…but it looks like she was wrong," She taunted with a smile. Axel glanced at the two condoms before shrugging and pocketing them. The rest of the teens burst into laugher, although Riku looked at his best friend with a solemn face.

"You screwed Roxas on Saturday," He said, his voice flat and cold. Axel glanced around at their friends—who had gone back to their previous discussions—before answering.

"Not exactly. We didn't do anything serious—handjob…something along those lines," The redhead answered. Riku let out a relieved sigh; he didn't want Roxas to tell Sora that Axel was an asshole, and he didn't want Sora to avoid Riku because of Axel.

"Good. Keep it that way until I'm going out with Sora, okay?" Riku asked. Axel just rolled his eyes.

"Whatever pal."

----------------------

Cloud made sure to notice Sora as he made his way up the small hill to the track from the back of the school. Although still pale, he didn't seem as tired as this morning. Cid had given him a list of training ideas for the day, telling Cloud that he couldn't make it to practice because of some coaches' meeting he had to be at in Traverse Town.

The team dropped their water bottles onto the track and immediately took to running the mandatory warm-up of two-hundred meters. As they ran, Cloud ran his eyes over different members of the team. Demyx and Hayner were in the lead at the moment, running side-by-side and talking about something. Kairi and Selphie were running behind them, followed by Roxas, Seifer, and Reno. Sora was at the end of line…when he should have been just behind Demyx and Hayner. Cloud was tempted to pull Sora out for today and insist that he skip practice, but he decided to wait a bit more and let Sora decide for himself if he shouldn't be running today. It was hard to tell if Sora was just picking a slow pace because he wasn't feeling well, or if he took a slow pace because he wasn't healthy enough to run faster. Cloud hoped it was the earlier option.

As the team trickled back to the bleachers for a quick stretch before taking individual training time, Cloud glanced at Sora again. The brunette seemed alright, a bit tired, but he didn't seem un-balanced or especially sick. The assistant coach turned his attention to the rest of the team, reading off announcements left over from the meet last weekend and training exercises for the sprinters, middle-distance runners, and Roxas.

Halfway through the practice as Cloud was going over the head coach's notes, a shout caught his attention. Reno was calling his name and pointing towards the other end of the bleachers, where Sora was bending over a trash can, heaving. Cloud could see Roxas immediately leave his section of the track to see if Sora was alright, but he held up a hand and motioned for his younger brother to keep running. After making sure everyone else was doing what they were assigned, Cloud hurried over to Sora who was now wiping his mouth with his right hand, his left hand clutching the rim of the garbage can. The blonde put a hand on the boy's shoulder, making him jump in surprise.

"Are you okay?" Cloud asked, concern apparent in his voice.

"Really dizzy…my head hurts; can't see," Sora gasped, still holding on to the trashcan for balance.

"Kneel down on the grass and lower you head," Cloud commanded, supporting the sophomore until he was in the requested position. "Breath deeply, keep your eyes closed…" Cloud reminded softly, sitting on the ground beside the sick teen. After about a minute Sora looked up.

"Thanks. My head feels a little better now," He said.

"How's your vision?" Cloud asked, wondering if the dizzy-spell had worn off completely.

"I can see fine," Sora answered.

"Good. Come on, I'm going to take you home, Sora," Cloud said, gently pulling his brother's best friend to his feet, but keeping a hand under the teen's elbow.

"No, I'll be fine. My dad said I should come today anyway…race this Saturday and everything," Sora protested, trying to pull his elbow out of Cloud's grip. The blonde only tightened his fingers around the joint, shaking his head.

"Sora, I'm taking you home. _Don't argue_ with me," Cloud said firmly. "You're father will understand, and if he doesn't, I will _make _him understand. The only way you will be 'fine' is if you take a day to rest up, otherwise, you won't even be _going_ to the next meet," Cloud looked up. "Reno! Take over for a bit, my clipboard's on the bleachers if you need to look at it. I'm going to run Sora home," Cloud called. He could see the redhead salute him, and a few other kids wave goodbye to Sora before turning to the brunette by his side and walking off.

Sora was tripping and stumbling on the way to the car so much, Cloud had to wonder if he was still dizzy.

"Sora, have you been able to hear all right today?" He asked, running a check of Sora's symptoms through his head.

"Yeah, loud noises hurt a bit though," Sora answered obediently.

"What about your vision? Do bright lights hurt at all?"

"Before my eyes adjust, I guess." Cloud nodded slowly.

"And what about in classes? Have you been able to remember everything normally, concentrate, and understand everything?" The blonde drilled. Sora paused to think for a moment before answering.

"Uh…it was a little hard to focus I guess, but I think I might have just been really tired."

"Did you trip, or fall yesterday or the day before? Hit your head on something pretty hard?" Cloud asked. He felt Sora tense in his grip for a moment.

"N-no. I don't think so," Sora answered, looking at the ground. Cloud filed that information away before opening up the passenger door and helping Sora into the car.

"I'm going to run into the building real quick, I'll be back in a sec," He told Sora before jogging into the building.

Cloud walked down the halls to Mrs. Harvey's office, the nurse's office, going over Sora's symptoms in his head. The teen had been abnormally tired this morning, was sick all yesterday according to Roxas, seemed weak and dizzy at track, was throwing up, claimed bright lights and loud noises were affecting him slightly, and mentioned it was hard to concentrate in class. The symptoms, when added together, absolutely _screamed_ 'concussion'.. But where had he gotten it?

"I trust your judgment, Mr. Strife; I would be glad to excuse Sora from school for a day. Here you are," Mrs. Harvey said, signing her name on an orange slip of paper and handing it to Cloud. "Just drop it by the office on your way out and they can process it."

"Thank you, Mrs. Harvey," Cloud said gratefully.

"Please, call me Rosa."

"Alright; thanks Rosa," Cloud said, exiting the nurse's office with the school pass in hand.

------------------------

Roy and Caroline Atari came home to a quiet house, which was exactly how they wanted it. Neither of them would tolerate anything but tranquility in their house, except for on Saturday nights. As they both took off their coats and hung them in the closet, Caroline called for her son.

"Sora! Would you come help me with dinner?" She called up the stairs. There was no response. Shrugging her shoulders, Caroline walked into the kitchen, frowning when she noticed a piece of office paper with a note scribbled in sharpie on it. After reading it quickly, she handed it to her husband, waiting for him to read it as well. Roy's mouth became tight with anger as he crumpled the paper up.

_Mr. and Mrs. Atari-_

_As Sora's coach, I felt the need to bring Sora home today during practice because he was clearly too exhausted and sick _

_to be there. I have suspicions that he has a concussion, and a few minor post-concussion symptoms. The nurse has_

_written him a pass to skip school for tomorrow, at least, and Cid said he'd be glad to excuse Sora from practice. _

_Let Sora rest up, make sure he eats well and stays hydrated, and I'm sure he'll be fine in a few days. If you have questions,_

_you can call me._

_-Cloud Strife_

"How dare he bring my son home from practice without my permission?" Roy yelled, throwing the note in the waste bin. Caroline sighed.

"How did Sora get a concussion?" The woman asked calmly. Roy looked at her, his eyebrows raised as if the answer was obvious. Caroline nodded. "Roy, you gave your son a _concussion_. I know you only want what's best for him, but you need to keep in mind how petite he is. He can't take being thrown around like that. Give him a few days rest—"

"Caroline, you _know _we can't spend the day with him, not now! What about our business?"

"Perhaps we could have someone else watch him…" Caroline mused. "One of the neighbors. Of course, they would have to have some reason for Sora's injuries…"

"No! Sora is _not_ going to skip track practice once this week. He needs to learn how to run, and lying around in bed isn't going to accomplish that," Roy yelled.

"Roy! Don't be foolish! Sora needs to _recover_! Cloud took EMT training last summer, he knows what's good for our son and what's not. I know we can't stay with him, and even if one of the neighbors can't we can leave him home for a few days. Just calm down, and start putting a salad together. I'm going to go check on our son," Caroline stated with perfect composure, pressing a bag of lettuce into his hands with a pointed look. Roy sighed loudly. _Damn that Strife boy_, he swore, putting the lettuce down and picking up the phone, dialing the Strife's number.

"Hello? Is this Cloud?" Roy asked.

"_One sec_," Roxas answered, recognizing Mr. Atari's voice. A moment later Cloud's deep voice rang through the receiver.

"_Hello Mr. Atari. I presume this is about Sora?"_ Cloud asked with false formality.

"You took my _son_ out of track because he's got a cold? I received no notice of this and Cid wasn't there, I happen to know. What in _hell_ were you thinking?" Roy snarled.

"_Sora has a concussion, Mr. Atari. He could barely stand after running a mile yesterday. He was having dizzy spells, couldn't see straight, and was vomiting. Do you really not care about your son's welfare _at all_?"_ Cloud asked.

"He's my _son,_ Mr. Strife, of course I care about him—"

"_Sure, as long as he's winning races, Atari, and you know it!" _Cloud snapped.

"You insolent—"

"_Don't deny it! You only really care about Sora as long as he's living up to your name! You want him to run and win, and that's _it_!" _Cloud yelled into the phone, fury in his voice.

"How dare you tell me that I don't love my son!" Roy yelled back. "No matter what Sora does, I'll always love him."

"_That's a lie and you know it, Atari! What if Sora gave up running? Then what would you do? What if he came to you one day and said that he couldn't run anymore, that he didn't want to, and that he was going to start playing soccer? Would you even let him?"_

"He's too talented of a runner, of course I wouldn't let him," Roy answered. "But that doesn't mean I don't care about him!"

"_Try being supportive of him for once! Try praising him instead of tearing him down every time you talk to him! I'm sick of you showing up at Sora's events and _commanding _and _ordering_ that he does well; that he wins. It's not right!"_

"What do _you_ know, Strife? You're not a father!" Roy snapped. "You know nothing of raising a child."

"_You're not raising Sora; you're sculpting him into what you were when _you_ were young! Now, you're simply living through him, and pushing him too hard."_

"You don't know what you're talking about, Strife. I'd advise you to have at least a _faint idea_ of your point before you start yelling at me about how I raise my own son," Roy snarled into the receiver, before slamming the phone down and going back to cutting up lettuce pieces. _How _dare_ that man tell me how to raise my own son! _Roy fumed silently,_ Sora _will _run, and he's going to be damn good at it one day, whether he likes it or _not.

"Honey, is everything alright down there? I heard yelling." Caroline's voice said, floating down the hall.

"Just a phone call, nothing to worry about dear," Roy answered.

"Well, Sora seems to be doing alright, I told him to come downstairs for dinner in twenty minutes," Caroline said, now entering the kitchen and rummaging around in the freezer for the chicken she _knew_ she had bought three days ago.

* * *

Don't forget to review everyone! I love reading your thoughts and suggestions. Inspiration at it's best.

Wykkyd


	12. Ex

**A/N: **Thanks for waiting so patiently guys. Guess what I just did ten or so minutes ago! I finished writing Track Season! I'm going to wait a bit to tell you how long it is, though. Anyway…thanks to my two betas: Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker, who have been an amazing amount of help to me.

Oh, there's a little note at the bottom of the chapter that should be read after you've finished the chapter. It might clear something up for you.

**Track Season**

**Ex**

_12:03 burnedballetshoes has invited you to chat_

_burnedballetshoes_: Hey Rox, so…you comin' to the meet tomorrow?

_Roxstar:_ Yeah. What kind of screename is 'burnedballetshoes'?

_burnedballetshoes:_ Didn't I tell you about the pair of dance shoes that I burned just happened to belong to the dance teacher's daughter?

_Roxstar:_ Are you in school right now?

_burnedballetshoes_: Lunch. I left the campus because only nerds stay there for lunch. Well, nerds and freshman.

_Roxstar_: Okaaaay…what events are you running tomorrow?

_burnedballetshoes_: Just the one-hundred and the two-hundred. Maybe the sprint relay…maybe not. Wakka's not really sure.

_Roxstar_: Wakka?

_burnedballetshoes_: Our team's coach. Cool guy; I guess he knows your coach, Cid, or something?

_Roxstar_: Yeah, Cid. Cid's a good coach, but almost half the time he's not at practice, so Cloud fills in for him a lot.

_burnedballetshoes_: Is it cool to have your brother as your coach? Or does it suck like hell?

_Roxstar:_ It's cool. Cloud's good about not being too easy or hard on me. Sora's been his main concern lately anyway, though.

_burnedballetshoes_: What's up with Mini?

_Roxstar_: He landed himself a concussion. It's not that bad I guess, 'cause he's going to the meet tomorrow.

_burnedballetshoes_: Mini's got too much ambition. He needs to learn how to be a lazy ass like me! Ya know, skip when you can…

_Roxstar_: You're a bastard. And I gotta go; Sora's meeting me in a bit to go over homework.

_burnedballetshoes:_ I'm sure we'll talk tomorrow then…;)

_Roxstar_: Let's hope not.

_12:09 Roxstar has signed off_

"Hey Rox, who're you talkin' to?"

"That Axel kid from last weekend," Roxas answered, signing off the school computer and following Sora over to a table where the two proceeded to spread out their math homework.

"Oh yeah, that kid you made out with all night last Saturday…" Sora teased. Roxas had enough decency to blush and look away for a moment.

"How in hell did he even get my IM address?" The blonde wondered. Sora shrugged, a guilty look coming across his face.

"Well…he might have gotten it from Riku…who just might have asked me for it…" He said with a sheepish grin. Roxas groaned and slammed his head on the table.

"Sora, I'm blaming you if Axel turns out to be some freaky pedophile and I get raped tomorrow," He warned, grabbing a pencil and his calculator. Sora laughed.

"Roxas, you don't even know how freaking obvious it is that you like him," Sora said. "I mean, all you ever do is talk about how weird his is, or how much you don't like him—"

"Since when does claiming my dislike for someone mean that I'm in love with them?" Roxas said with a glare.

"Dude, you like Axel. Get over it." Roxas slammed his math textbook down on the table, this time giving his friend a real glare.

"I do not like him dammit! Drop it!" He said loudly, earning himself a very angry look from the librarian who looked as if she was about to march over there and drag him out by his ear. The blonde rolled his eyes and ignored her, turning back to Sora, who was looking shocked. After a moment the brunette recovered enough to relax again and start on his homework in silence. Roxas sighed; he hadn't meant to yell at Sora. "I'll be right back, I need to grab something from my locker," He whispered to Sora before getting out of his chair and exiting the library.

Roxas walked down the hall a ways before sinking down against a wall with a sigh. He had taken way too much teasing about him and Axel this week, but he really didn't know if it was true or not. He had simply denied all claims of his love for that red-haired bastard, and tried to move on. Last Saturday hadn't quite been intentional. Axel was just there, and they had both been stoned and probably a bit drunk as well, and Axel was undeniably hot. I can't fall for that kid! Roxas thought frantically. He knew Axel's type: the party kid, the kid who just wanted sex, the kind of guy who was trouble right off the bat. And Roxas had had enough trouble to last a lifetime; trouble was the last thing he wanted right now. It wasn't like Axel was looking for a boyfriend; he just wanted somebody to fuck with. And even if Axel was looking for a boyfriend, there was a snowball's chance in hell that Cloud would ever let Roxas date the guy. Axel was three years older than Roxas, obviously a partier, and not the kind of kid Cloud wanted anywhere near Roxas after what happened a few years ago.

A hand on Roxas's shoulder jerked his head up. His gaze landed in violet eyes, looking a bit concerned. Kairi sat down next to him, tucking her red hair behind her ears as she did.

"What's up, Roxas?" She asked kindly.

"Nothing. I'm just thinking," Roxas replied.

"'Bout what?" Kairi asked. Roxas bit his lip, trying to come up with something else to tell her. But then again, Kairi had always been good with helping people out—not that Sora wasn't—so maybe he should just start bouncing thoughts off her.

"About Axel. You know, that kid I met last week at the meet?" Kairi nodded, knowing to keep her teasing remarks to herself at the moment, Roxas obviously didn't want to joke about this right now. "Kairi…I think…I think I actually do like him." Roxas waited for a moment to hear Kairi's reaction to this, but she was surprisingly quiet. Roxas continued. "I mean, I think I like him, but I really, really don't want to."

"Why not?" Roxas looked at her.

"Why not?!" He exclaimed in disbelief. "Because it's Axel! He's…not the kind of kid I want to get involved with. I'm scared that…you know, I'm worried that something might happen again."

"You don't trust him to respect you?" Kairi asked.

"I guess that's it. I don't really trust _me_ to not let myself get hooked on something again. It still bothers me that I trusted Marluxia so much, I guess I'm a little reluctant to trust anyone else now…that I didn't know before of course," Roxas reasoned. Kairi put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you give him a chance, Rox. Does he know what happened to you a few years back?" Roxas nodded.

"Yeah, I told him. I don't know why, it just seemed the right thing to do then."

"Well, that's one step in the right direction. I think you should give him a chance, trust him. Axel should figure out that if he does anything to you he'll be dealing with the entire Destiny High Track Team, as well as Cloud…and Cloud's sort of a one-man army when he's pissed off, so Axel's got some serious incentive to treat you right," Kairi said with a smile. Roxas couldn't help but smile back at her.

"I don't know Kairi, he just doesn't seem like the kind of guy who actually likes anyone he fools around with. He's probably just in it for sex," Roxas commented. Kairi looked thoughtful for a moment.

"How 'bout this? I'll find out if Axel likes you or not. It'll be really easy. See, this girl named Yuffie and our friend Naminé and I are trying to set up Demyx with this Zexion kid—"

"Wait…you mean that silver-haired emo kid who runs long distance?" Roxas asked, surprise on his face. Kairi nodded.

"Yeah, that's the one. Anyway, we're trying to set them up, and because Yuffie seems like the gossip queen up there, I'm sure she'll know all about you and Axel. So I'll just ask her," Kairi said, her eyes gleaming excitedly. Roxas groaned.

"I don't believe this. Is this how little schoolgirls feel all the time?" He grumbled. Kairi pushed his shoulder playfully and picked herself up, straightening her blue skirt.

"Come on, Rox, let's go back to the library, I know Sora's still waiting for you. I can help you two with your math. Plus, Sora needs to have a part in setting you up with Axel…"

"You are not setting me up, Kairi. Don't even think about it. I need to figure this out on my own." Kairi rolled her eyes and sighed, but agreed with her blonde-haired friend before pulling him to his feet and dragging him back down the hall.

--------------------

"Shit!" A moment's pause. "God dammit!" Another pause. "Fuck." The last curse was a whisper, uttered by a very distraught and tense, twenty-three-year-old blonde man. The computer's screen reflected white, artificial light onto his melancholy face, picking up his gleaming blue eyes and making them shine all the more. Cloud sighed and turned the monitor off, swiveling around in the office chair and sighing as he ran his hands over his face and through his hair. Cid had just sent him the list of teams that would be at the meet tomorrow, complete with the runners' names and their coaches. Hollow Bastion would be there tomorrow…and with them, Sephiroth.

For the first time in two years Cloud was going to see his ex-boyfriend. The man who had stolen his heart and destroyed his career. And still…Cloud didn't know if he really, truly hated him. He was terrified of the idea that when he saw Sephiroth, he'd fall in love all over again.

The clock on the wall read five past midnight; he _needed_ to go to bed. He would worry about Sephiroth in the morning, now, he just needed rest.

-------------------

Tifa was kneeling on the floor of the school library, searching the bottom row of books for a book that would help her with her history assignment when she heard Axel shout over to her.

"Hey Tif! Stop stickin' your ass out over there, I want to talk," He yelled, ignoring the librarian's rebuke. She looked up, tossing her black hair over her shoulder and glaring.

"What?" She mouthed, glancing at the librarian who was staring at her with pursed lips. Without waiting for Axel to start yelling again the black-haired runner stood up and walked over to her redhead friend, one eyebrow raised in irritation. Axel smiled at her innocently.

"What do you want, Axel?" Tifa said with an exasperated sigh.

"Just wanted to see your face, darlin'," The sprinter said, his innocent smile turning cheery and carefree. She glared, a 'get to the point, Axel, or I'll shove your head down the toilet'-look in her eyes. His face fell, turning serious for a rare moment. Tifa softened her expression, sitting down and glancing around them. Axel followed her gaze, making sure no one was in hearing distance. "Look Tif, you're good with this kind of thing...so...I guess...I guess I just wanted to bounce thoughts off you," The redhead said. Tifa bit back a sarcastic comeback, knowing that her friend was absolutely serious about this. "But you can't...like...tell anyone about it, okay?" Tifa nodded with a smile.

"I got it, Axel. What's on your mind?" She asked. The redhead sighed, fiddling with a black ring on his right ring-finger.

"You know Blondie, right? Roxas Strife?" Axel started. Tifa nodded. "Well...you know how he's really, super-crazy-fuckin' hot?" He asked. Again, Tifa nodded, completely agreeing. "So he really sort of hates me...and—"

"Axel, get to the god damn point, okay?"

"Fine. So at Riku's party, I wasn't...sober, and neither was he, and I sort of took advantage of the situation, and we ended up screwing around on the bed upstairs—"

"I figured. What exactly does 'screwing around' mean?" She asked, a glint in her eye.

"I didn't fuck him. He was really adamant about me not doing that, even though he was really drunk. So yeah...anyway; he never really liked me I guess...but after that whole thing..."

"You like him, don't you? I mean, you're attracted to him and everything, but you like him too, huh," Tifa stated. Axel nodded, his face glum. "Why are you so depressed about that, Axel. I mean, it's not like you're immune to that sort of thing."

"Tifa, Roxas hates me. I mean, I took advantage of him...I...he just hates me, okay?" Axel exclaimed, his voice a harsh whisper.

"I wouldn't call what you did taking advantage of him. I saw you two that night, and he wasn't as drunk as you were, okay?"

"What are you saying?" Axel asked. Tifa smiled at him.

"Hun, I'm saying that you didn't take advantage of Blondie. He wanted it, whether he'll admit it or not. If I could venture a guess...I'd say that Roxas likes you, on some level. So there you go, problem solved."

"Problem not solved!" Axel said, his eyes wide. "How the fuck am I supposed to let him know that he likes me? I mean, things just don't work that way, darlin'!" Tifa sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Axel, you're a pro at this kind of thing, aren't you?" Tifa said.

"No, I'm good at getting someone to let me fuck them, Tifa. Now I'm trying to go out with someone, and I totally don't know what to do!" Axel said. Tifa laughed quietly.

"Axel, try this...it's what I do when I want to go out with someone," Tifa paused, a patient smile on her face. "I ask them," She finished slowly. Axel let his head fall onto the table.

"He'll say no."

"Beg."

"Beg? You're fucking kidding me," Axel moaned. The black-haired girl put a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"You're right. I'm kidding. But seriously, just ask him. Do it nicely, don't make it sound like you just want to fuck him, because he might be thinking that. Just be nice and sincere for

once, okay? And if he says no, I'll beat the shit outta him," Tifa said. Axel nodded, still facedown on the table. His friend glanced towards the textbook he had cracked open on the table next to him. "Are you doing physics right now?" She asked. Axel shook his head, lifting it simultaneously and pulling the textbook aside to reveal a magazine. Tifa frowned at the picture of a mostly naked woman lying on a bed. "I thought you were into guys," She said. Axel shrugged, flipping the magazine page.

"I can do girls too...literally," He said with a smirk. Tifa just rolled her eyes and walked away, muttering about convents and leaving Axel to contemplate if they're conversation had been any help.

-----------------------

Students, parents, and coaches alike milled around the track the next morning in a hectic and chaotic mess. Cid had taken the team to the other side of the track to escape the crowds, but Cloud could see a few Destiny kids still pushing their way through the crowd. A very familiar mop of unruly blonde hair caught his eye and Cloud pushed his way over to him.

"Come on, Rox. Cid needs you over with the team, he's got your numbers and start times for today," Cloud said to his brother.

"I know, I know. I'm going," Roxas said, giving his brother a wave before turning and pushing his way through the crowd. Suddenly, the teenage turned around and moved back to his brother. "Hey, Cloud? Are you alright?" He asked quietly, his large blue eyes radiating concern. Cloud couldn't help but smile at his younger brother; this was a side of Roxas rarely seen.

"Stop worrying, I'll be fine. Go," He ordered, the smile still on his face as he watched Roxas start elbowing people in order to get through faster. Cloud turned his gaze back to the top of the crowd, involuntarily looking for a head of white, shining hair. He had caught himself looking for Sephiroth more than once this morning, although either the man wasn't in the crowds, or his team hadn't showed up yet. Cloud sighed and crammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans, tearing his eyes away from the other people and heading to the other side of the track to make sure Cid didn't need his help.

Races were never really anything that Cloud felt he had to attend because Cid handled most of the organizational work and Cloud was just an encourager, but they were written up on his contract so Cloud had to be there. He normally just found a spot around the track and stood there, occasionally calling out suggestions to racing Destiny High kids. At least, that's how it was at the middle school on the island, and how it was for the first track meet in the high school season. But Cloud didn't really care that he was essentially wasting a perfectly good Saturday; being at the meets could be fun at times. He had always liked watching the kids in their normal setting, such as at school, and then comparing them to their personality here, in front of all these people. Most kids on the Destiny High team got a bit more aggressive and defensive of their friends and themselves, as well as much more competitive. The one exception to this was Sora, who seemed as content as ever unless his father was watching. Today, though, Sora seemed completely relaxed which Cloud was relieved to see. Sora had bounced up to the ferry docks back on the island with a gleam in his eye, and Cloud could only guess what put it there. He put his bet on the absence of Roy, who was traveling with his wife to Hollow Bastion on business.

Cloud was still furious with Sora's father because of their last conversation on the phone, and he loved that Sora actually seemed happier when his father wasn't watching every move he made. Cloud had to wonder if Sora would run better today as well, without the immediate pressure of his father in the stands.

"Hey, Cloud," A voice called behind him, and he stopped his progression around the track to find Leon coming up to him. He nodded his head in a silent greeting, waiting until the brunette caught up with him until he began walking again. "Heard through the gossip channel that Sora had a concussion last Monday," Leon said. One corner of Cloud's mouth turned up in a semblance of a smile.

"Gossip channel?" He asked, amusement in his eyes. Leon chuckled a bit.

"Let's see…you discover Sora had a concussion, you told Roxas, Roxas was talking to one of his friends, that friend's been talking with Yuffie, Yuffie's Gossip Queen, so she told everyone on my team about it. What happened to Sora?" Leon asked. Cloud shrugged, sighing simultaneously.

"I'm not sure. I asked him if he fell or hit his head on something Sunday, or even Saturday night, but he said no."

"That's a lie. If he actually had a concussion then he had to have hit his head," Leon cut in sharply.

"I know. Is it possible he hit his head hard enough to forget it?" Cloud wondered aloud. He saw Leon shrug through the corner of his eye.

"Sure, initially. After a week though, and he's over the symptoms, he'll remember what happened. So he's lying to you if he's still claiming he didn't injure his head," Leon stated firmly. Cloud nodded in agreement.

"That's not like Sora though. He's not the kind of kid who would lie about something like that," The blonde said reflectively, watching Sora chatting with Kairi and Selphie across the field. Leon followed Cloud's gaze.

"Why's he wearing a long-sleeve shirt underneath his outfit?" Leon asked, noticing that underneath his blue and white track jersey, Sora was wearing a white under-armor shirt.

"I don't know. He's been…wearing long-sleeved shirts all week."

"You're a little obsessed with that kid, you know," Leon pointed out, listening to Cloud. The blonde snorted.

"He's my brother's best friend, and…there's something different about Sora. He's a really unique kid," Roxas's older brother answered thoughtfully.

"I don't know him all that well, so I guess I'll just have to trust you," Leon said with a smile. Cloud returned it, albeit hesitantly, before excusing himself and walking over to his team. He was mildly satisfied with that conversation. Halfway through it Cloud had realized what had happened last Sunday with a tinge of embarrassment. He'd have to apologize sometime today for overreacting like that.

By the time he reached the Destiny High team, Roxas was already walking to the start of the five-thousand, Sora at his side, no doubt encouraging him incessantly. Cid gave him a wave while lighting a new cigarette, calling Cloud over to him.

"Can you try and talk Sora out of the fifteen and sixteen-hundreds? He's too damn stubborn about running them, but I don't want him to over-tax himself when he's just over that concussion," Cid said in his gruff and commanding voice. Cloud nodded.

"I'll try, don't expect favorable results though," He answered, folding his arms across his chest and looking out towards the start of the five-thousand. His breath caught. Shit.

Sephiroth stood there, just beside a Hollow Bastion runner, one large hand placed casually on the boy's shoulder. His long silver hair was pulled back into a hair-tie, and his muscular torso was exhibited by a form-fitting black shirt. Dark gray shorts hung from his hips and dark blue track shoes adorned his feet. Cloud could see his shining green eyes from where he stood. Suddenly, Sephiroth turned his gaze to two short boys wearing Destiny High colors, one of which seemed to be running the event. Cloud watched with wary eyes as Sephiroth turned around to face one of his other runners—a huge, bulky kid who should have been in wrestling over track—and nodded his head in the slightest. Roxas's older brother went rigidly stiff and the bulky runner nodded back and his coach turned around to give the racer a squeeze on the shoulder to move over to Roxas and Sora. The silver-haired man paused to say something to them, making Roxas take an aggressive step towards him, and Sora grab Roxas's arm while taking a step back, and then Sephiroth turned his eyes to Cloud.

Blue collided with green, and Cloud felt the breath rush out of him. Even though he was too far away to see the gleam in Sephiroth's eye, he knew that the man was up to no good. With a sultry smirk, the tall coach from Hollow Bastion turned his back and faded into the crowd.

"Cloud, you look like you're gonna pass out. If you're not gonna talk to Sora, go do something productive; no sense both of us wasting our time baby-sitting these tykes," Cid said gruffly, but his voice was under-toned with affection. Selphie turned around, her hands on her hips and a pout on her face, gearing up to give Cid a mouthful. Cloud just patted the older man on the back and left Selphie to it. He needed to be alone right now anyway.

Leon felt a little weird watching Cloud like he was, almost like a stalker or something equally creepy. But Cloud was so damn…different. He was mysterious, sexy, shy, and…there was something else. Leon wanted to call it fear, or extreme caution. Maybe something between the two. Cloud had been watching someone over near the start of the five-thousand for a minute or so, his face turning ashy white, and now he was walking off into the woods that surrounded the Traverse Town High School track. A minute or so later a tall, silver-haired man followed the blonde. A silver-haired man that Leon knew all too well.

Leon knew frustration. Leon knew anger. He knew fury. But there were only a few times that he had experienced rage, and every time he had seen Sephiroth, he knew rage. Pure, sweet rage, flowing through his blood like a sweet poison. Sephiroth was obviously following Cloud, and Cloud be damned, Leon wanted nothing more at the moment then to pound his fist into that fucking bastard's perfect face. The infuriated brunette started walking over to the small path that Cloud and Sephiroth had taken to get to the cross-country trails out behind the track. He assumed that both coaches wouldn't be on the main trail that was being used for the five-thousand, and because Leon had been to this track more than a few times, he had a good idea of which trail the two were on at the moment.

As Leon walked he found himself reflecting on that violent day a few years back. The day he stupidly and unwisely picked a fight with Sephiroth and lost by a long-shot. He had never really been the vengeful type, but when it came to Sephiroth, who had ruined his dreams, all he could think of was revenge. He either wanted Sephiroth in jail, or paralyzed from the waist down. _I suppose I could settle for ruining his running career too_, Leon thought, then nixed the idea. No, Sephiroth was going to pay, and he was going to pay twice as much as Leon had.

That weird stalker feeling came back to him as Leon approached the smaller cross-country trail that ran parallel to the main trail and slowed his pace. He could hear that bastard talking to Cloud.

"Come on, Cloud. It's been two years, I've never—"

"Shut up, Sephiroth!" Cloud said; his voice laced with fear and anger. Leon felt himself tense, it seemed as if he wasn't the only one here who had a past with the longhaired man.

"Cloud," Sephiroth whispered, and Leon slowed to a dead stop, watching through the trees as the green-eyed man pushed Cloud's back into a tree trunk. "I never stopped loving you," The taller man said, just loud enough for Leon to hear. Cloud's eyes shut in order to avoid looking at the man in front of him.

"Get away from me," Cloud commanded, pushing Sephiroth's chest back forcefully.

"Cloud, I see it in your eyes, your perfect, sky-blue eyes. They have the same look they did two years ago, when you came to apologize to me. You still love me, Cloud. Don't deny it," Sephiroth said gently, and Leon would have believed the loving tone in the man's voice to be real if it hadn't been Sephiroth he was thinking about. Cloud looked up at the man standing in front of him, his eyes shining with helpless tears.

"Don't lie to me, Sephiroth. You never loved me. You never even cared about me. All you felt for me was jealousy!" Cloud yelled. "You wanted to have my life, and because you couldn't, you opted for ruining my career, killing all of my dreams, and stealing my heart in the process."

"Ah, so you did love me," Sephiroth said with a smirk, and held his hand up when Cloud opened his mouth to speak. "You loved me then, and you love me now, Cloud. Maybe I didn't care for you quite enough then, but now..." Sephiroth paused, placing one long-fingered hand on Cloud's cheek, "…You've never looked better." Leon watched, shocked and horrified, as the man who had destroyed both Cloud and his careers kissed the blonde forcefully, shoving Cloud back against the tree and making the shorter man cry out into their kiss. Tears leaked from the corners of Cloud's blue eyes as he scrambled to place his hands on Sephiroth's shoulders and get the man away from him, but the larger coach had grabbed his wrists, his pale fingers causing the thin tissue to bruise.

"Please…" Cloud begged when Sephiroth leaned back for air, but his plea was cut off by rough lips ascending on his once again and a ravishing tongue shoved through his lips.

Leon had seen enough. With four long strides he was directly next to Sephiroth and Cloud, and another two seconds later Sephiroth was on the ground clutching his head while Leon was clutching the knuckles of his right hand.

"You sick bastard," Leon snarled, fully prepared to jump on the man again and beat the shit out of him, but Cloud put a shaking hand on Leon's shoulder.

"No, Leon. Let's just go."

"Cloud, I know you still—" Sephiroth started, grabbing hold of the blonde's wrist and pulling him closer.

"Let go of him," Leon spat, wrapping a protective arm around Cloud and glaring at the silver-haired man with enough menace to kill. With a glare Sephiroth let Cloud's wrist go and Leon dragged the shorter man off with him, one arm still around his waist.

Leon took Cloud to a small clearing in the woods that he remembered being there last year; the clearing was used for cross-country meetings and picnics they had after school, so there was a picnic table sitting in the middle of it. Pulling Cloud into his arms and cradling his head on his chest, Leon sat down on the table. The pieces of Cloud's puzzle were slowly falling into place now that he knew that Sephiroth must have been Cloud's attacker, as well as his fucking lover. How could someone do that to someone who loved them? Leon thought with fury as he felt Cloud clutching his shoulders and sobbing so hard his whole chest was shaking.

"I'm sorry about all this Leon, I didn't mean for anyone else to get involved," Cloud said, his voice raspy from crying. Leon kept his arms wrapped around the smaller man's waist and held him close.

"I was involved anyway. It seems like Sephiroth fucked you up more than he did me anyway, so don't worry about it," Leon said calmly, hating Sephiroth all the more for doing whatever he did to Cloud. The blonde smiled a bit at Leon's comment, closing his eyes in an effort to stop the tears from streaming down his face. Leon brought a hand back around Cloud's waist to wipe the tears off the younger man's face with a gentle thumb. "So…you wanna tell me a bit about all of this now, or later?" Leon asked, not intending to let Cloud get out of explaining the situation.

"Only if you tell my why you 'were involved anyway'," Cloud proposed.

"Fair enough. Now or later?" Leon answered.

"Let's meet tomorrow at that café near the track in Twilight Town. I really need to keep an eye on Roxas and Sora today, as well as the rest of our team, and my story's a bit long, so we'd better wait," Cloud reasoned.

"Why do you need to watch Roxas and Sora?" Leon asked, even though he thought he knew the answer to that question. Cloud gave him a pointed look.

"Sephiroth. I've heard his history with fairness isn't all that great," The blonde said. Leon nodded in agreement. "I caught an exchange between Sephiroth and his team that had to do with either Roxas or Sora, I'm not sure which though."

"Hollow Bastion doesn't have such a strong long-distance runner, but it would make more sense to get Sora out of the races today because Sephiroth's runners in the eight-hundred and relays hold a lot of weight. I'm sure I could get a few of the older kids on my team to look out for any odd behavior on the Hollow Bastion team," Leon mused.

"That makes me feel…a bit better," Cloud said, looking a bit nervous and obviously thinking about Axel.

"Cloud, I'll be straight with you. I know you're thinking about Axel right now, and here it is: Axel's interested in Roxas," Leon felt Cloud tense in his arms, "So Axel's not going to let anyone threatening near him, if he can help it. I'm serious. Axel's not a bad guy, once you get to know him a bit. You don't have to worry about Roxas getting beaten up by anyone from Hollow Bastion today." Cloud nodded. Despite Leon's reassurances, he still didn't trust Axel. But then again, when it came to Roxas, Cloud didn't trust anyone but Sora. With a faint blush, Cloud realized he was still on Leon's lap, with one of the brunette's arms around his waist. With a bit of finagling he maneuvered out of Leon's arms and stood up, running a hand through his hair with a sigh.

"I should get back, I need to catch Sora before his sixteen-hundred. Thanks for…being there," Cloud said softly, looking up to meet Leon's serene gaze. The brunette offered a comforting smile. Just as Cloud turned to head back to the track, Leon called out.

"Wait! Cloud…do you still love him? Sephiroth?" He asked quickly, desperate for an answer, although not entirely sure why. Cloud paused for a moment before answering.

"I was so afraid that I'd seen him again today and realize that I still loved him, even after everything he's done to me. But Sephiroth...I can't love someone like him anymore. I don't know how I ever did. It still hurts though, it really does," Cloud said quietly, before turning again and slipping down the path.

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**Note**: For those of you who are also following Track Season: Cool Off (written by Bubble Master Califa), I want to point out that while BMC has made it as canon as possible for his purposes, there are a few differences. One of the main ones is that Roxas and Axel did not have sex at Riku's start-of-season party in TS, while they did in TS:CO. I wanted to make it clear in this chapter that in TS the two didn't do all that much at Riku's. Thanks.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter, as always, so feel free to leave a comment or review.

Thanks so much you guys!

Wykkyd


	13. The Right To Swing Your Arm

**A/N:** Fluff! Sorry all you fluff-haters, but there's a bit of fluff in every story like this. Suck it up. Joking. Yell and scream all you want…but fluff is SO fun to write! So…thanks to all my great reviews and readers out there, I'm always amazed at how dedicated you are. I'd love to reply to all of you, but I don't always have time. So here's an "I love you" in advance!

And of course, hats off to my amazing betas: Riku-stalker and Bubble Master Califa. Couldn't do this without you two.

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**The Right to Swing Your Arm…**

Riku glanced at his watch nervously; five minutes until his next event, the eight-hundred. Sora had seemed as bubbly and happy as ever this morning and afternoon, and while Riku had found the small brunette's smile infectious, he had to wonder if Sora was just putting on an act. After what Sora had told him last Saturday, about being happy because everyone wanted him to be, Riku found he didn't know when Sora was really happy, or just doing it for someone else.

But never mind that for now, he had a race to warm-up for. As he moved towards the start line, he saw the other familiar faces of his competitors, minus Sora. He had spoken to the sophomore a few times today, albeit briefly; he had raced against him in the sixteen-hundred as well. Still, he wanted to make sure he caught Sora later to catch up. _Where is he_? Two minutes until the race starts…Sora was out in the first set with Riku. Riku looked around for someone from the Destiny Island team, and his aquamarine eyes landed on Roxas who seemed to be looking for Sora as well.

"Roxas!" Riku called, dashing over to the short teen. "Where's Sora?" Roxas shrugged.

"Dunno, but he better hurry his ass up or he's gonna miss his race," Roxas said. "You'd better line up though." Riku nodded and glanced around one last time before going back to the start line, taking his place in the fourth track. Less than one minute, countdown would begin soon… _Where the _hell_ is he_? Riku thought anxiously. He saw Roxas's older brother out of the corner of his eye, and he was looking worried which immediately put Riku on edge.

"Wait!" A deep voice cried. "Don't start the countdown," Leon suddenly yelled, walking up to the timers, who were giving him annoyed looks. "Number thirty-four, Sora, will be here." Riku watched his coach look to Cloud, closing his eyes briefly in some unspoken conversation. Cloud leaned forward slightly as if listening intently. Leon nodded his head, and Cloud's concerned face instantly turned to one of fury. Riku saw him whip around and push his way through the crowd with Leon in pursuit.

"I'm here," A breathless, small, and yet determined voice said. Riku whipped around to see Sora take his place two lanes down from him with a trickle of blood running from his nose, which he wiped away absentmindedly. Sora turned to the Hollow Bastion runner on the other side of Riku and glared, while the bulky runner sneered back. Riku had to fight the urge to beat the shit out of the runner next to him right then and there. He threw a concerned and questioning look to Sora, who just shook his head a bit as if to say 'I'll tell you later'. Riku snarled at the Hollow Bastion runner, giving him a last glare before getting into start position.

At the crack of the small gun in the starter's hand, Sora bolted from the line. Determination and anger was flowing through his veins; he was _going_ to win this race if it killed him. Making sure not to start out too fast, Sora checked his pace until he fell into his standard race-pace. He had already passed two of the eight runners in his heat, although they weren't really major competitors in the first place, so it wasn't such a big deal. He saw Roxas and Demyx standing together and cheering for him, while Axel was on their right cheering for Riku and sending smirks in Roxas's direction. Cloud and Leon were near the group, watching both Sora and Riku run while exchanging a few comments. Sora knew that Cloud was going to want an explanation covering why he almost missed his event, and when he _did_ show up why he was carrying a bloody nose, but the brunette figured that Leon would explain a bit of it to him.

He had been coming back from the bathroom just before his race, and promptly ran into a group of Hollow Bastion runners. Sora could tell he was in trouble as soon as the group started herding him around the corner of the building. He was lucky Leon had been passing by and heard Sora's cry when one of the runners smashed a fist into his nose.

Half of the kids on Sephiroth's team didn't even run during track meets, but they did try and keep competition down for their own team. Hollow Bastion had two kinds of athletes, the runners, and the ones who wanted to be boxers. And Sephiroth used both.

When Sora had two hundred meters down, he stepped up his pace, passing the Halloween Town runner within a few moments. Riku was running a bit ahead of him, as was the Hollow Bastion runner, but Sora knew he could catch up. He didn't want to be running neck and neck with them just yet, but he didn't want to be behind them by more than three strides, and no more than five strides from the leader.

One lap later the Hollow Bastion runner had dropped back behind Sora and the runner from Traverse Town, giving Riku a temporary lead. Sora would have made a dash for it, but with half of the race left it would only wear him down. The petite athlete could feel blood dripping from his nose and running over his lips, leaking into his mouth whenever he took a deep breath and making him wince. He would have wiped it off but didn't want to sacrifice the minute change in his rhythm to do so. Still, the stares from the crowd were a bit annoying.

With only one lap to go, Sora felt he had enough energy left to sprint the entirety of it. He could feel his lungs working hard to get enough air, and his heart was thudding inside his ribcage, but it wasn't his fastest pace. Closing his eyes to re-focus himself, Sora did a small skip step (because Roxas had always found it hilarious) and bolted. In order to stay in the lead he needed to put enough distance between the leader—the kid from Traverse Town—and himself so the other runner couldn't catch up in time. Cid had always told him never to sprint the entire last lap, because it was almost impossible to do. Generally you made your move on the hundred or fifty-meter mark, two hundred was definitely pushing it. But Sora felt he could do it this time; he was in shape and had enough stamina to take Roxas on during the five-thousand if he ever gave it a go. Plus, he had kept his pace down for the last three laps and raced a smart race.

Sora didn't even bother trying to figure out everything going on behind him, he simply _ran_, using his anger towards the Hollow Bastion team, and his father's disappointed face to fuel him. He was going to prove to Roy that he could run…that he could _win_.

"Yeah SORA!" Demyx screamed, punching the air with his fist in triumph. On the other side of Roxas, Axel watched with a smirk on his face. Riku was closing in on Sora, although the younger boy's premature move had surprised the silver-haired teen. He wouldn't make it.

"Mini's cleaning up out there," The redhead commented to the shorter blonde at his side. Roxas nodded.

"As long as he beats that fucking Hollow Bastion runner. Number sixty-nine. I swear, I'm going to fucking _kill_ them," Roxas snarled, his eyes ablaze with anger as they watched the bulky runner racing to try and catch up with Sora.

"He'll beat 'em. Sora's already won this race. Riku might take second, but if the Hollow Bastion makes a dash for it at the thirty meter mark he has a chance," Demyx commented. Roxas nodded, taking note of his words. Axel shook his head.

"Riku's not going to let sixty-nine pass him. He's going to want to beat him just 'cause they touched Mini. Possessive bastard." The redhead caught Roxas's cautionary glare directed at Riku and held back a laugh. "You are so damn protective of him, dude," Axel commented, snickering. Roxas slugged him in the side with a glare and turned his eyes back to Sora, who was still running full-tilt towards the finish line. Riku was a bit farther ahead of the Hollow Bastion runner, who seemed furious. Roxas's hands balled into fists when he saw the blood spilling from Sora's nose and looked back to the rest of the Hollow Bastion team, their bastard of a coach standing off to the side with a smirk. Assholes didn't have any respect for good sportsmanship.

Demyx had moved back into the crowd a bit, intending on finding Reno somewhere and gush about the great new band he had discovered on iTunes the other day. It wasn't that he didn't care about Sora's win, he just didn't like seeing the smaller boy's face smeared with blood when he knew perfectly well that a competing team had put it there. Demyx was a firm believer in good sportsmanship. He didn't really care if he won, or if another team did, he just wanted everyone to be _nice_ about it. Hollow Bastion was a team of absolute jerks.

"Hey Demyx," A quiet, low voice said. Demyx turned around with a wide smile on his face.

"Hi Zexion! I saw your race earlier! You were great! I mean, really, really great! Roxas'll be bitching on the way home about how he can't beat you!" Demyx cheered, making the long-distance runner smile a bit.

"Er…yeah. Thanks, I guess. Roxas is good too, though," Zexion said, falling into step with the Destiny Island runner. Demyx flashed his companion a brilliant smile, the bounce in his step obvious.

"Zex, you were fantastic though. You've taken first in the five-thousand twice this season…and races just started last week. I'll bet you want to be a runner when you're in college, huh?" Demyx commented. Zexion shrugged.

"I want to do something with kids who have social problems, actually," Catching Demyx's blank look, Zexion continued. "Kids who were abused and neglected, orphans, trauma victims…situations like that. I guess you could say I'd like to be a children's therapist."

"That's really cool, Zex," Demyx said truthfully. "It's a bit depressing I guess, but that's just me." Zexion actually laughed at this comment, and Demyx couldn't help but notice how amazing his smile was.

Demyx really didn't think he was gay. He had gone out with a few girls and had thoroughly enjoyed himself. But he also knew that he liked Zexion, and that he liked him a lot. Zexion might be a bit gloomy for him, and the teen didn't smile _nearly_ enough, but Demyx wanted to see him smile more. He wanted to _be_ the one to make Zexion smile…and laugh, and all that. It was a bit of a surprise to Demyx when he realized that he was actually attracted to Zexion, but it wasn't something he had freaked out about either. He already knew that Roxas and Sora were both bi, and they were pretty widely accepted by everyone, so it wasn't such an issue when he told his group of friends. There had been multiple 'set-up plans' that involved him and some other guy, but Demyx started out liking Zexion, and he _still_ liked him.

"It might be, but I really just want to help kids who've had to go through all that. It's not fair that there are all these kids out there who don't get to just be _kids_ because their parents have issues. It affects you for life, really," Zexion said, bringing Demyx out of his memories. The dark-blonde looked up at the slightly taller boy.

"You speak as if you know about all this," He said slowly. Zexion looked surprised, but his face turned apathetic after a moment.

"I might," Was all the long-distance runner said, and Demyx took the hint and changed the subject.

---------------

Two girls were standing in line at the pull-up truck in the parking lot of the school, money in hand and scanning the list above the trailer for a drink or ice-cream cone that caught their eye.

"How many calories do you think the 'Tropical Trix Twist' has in it?" Selphie asked, staring at the poster curiously. Kairi shrugged.

"Get it regardless, it sounds good. Besides we just ran a killer eight hundred," The redhead reasoned. Selphie nodded in agreement, her eyes wide.

"Well, shit, that bitch from Hallow Bastion...uh...Faris something? Um...I got it on the tip of my tongue..."

"Faris Scherwiz, I know. But I'm not sure if that whole thing was on purpose or not. It doesn't make sense that she would worry about me...I'm not that fast of a runner," Kairi said. Selphie shook her head, moving forward a bit to keep up with the line.

"She did that on purpose, all right. I can _believe _someone didn't catch her at that! I mean...what kind of asshole shoves someone over in the _middle of a race_!" Selphie shouted. Kairi just sighed, letting her best friend rattle on. "You're lucky you saw her arm in time to drop back! And did you _see_ how she just _pushed_ Garnet—the girl from Traverse Town—down? What a _bitch_! I'll bet _she_ was the one who got those morons to beat Sora up," Selphie ranted. Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Uh...no. Faris doesn't really need to worry about Sora, because he's a _guy_ and she's a _girl_, and they run separate races. It was probably just several other guys, you never know," The redhead said calmly. Selphie flipped her hair with a 'hmmmph!'.

"I _still_ think she's a complete bitch."

"Hey, I'm not disagreeing with you," Kairi pointed out, turning to the boy inside the trailer. "Two Tropical Trix Twists please?" She asked, giving a smile to the boy who turned around, grabbed two bottles and slammed them on the counter.

"Four twenty-nine," He said in a monotone voice. Selphie slid a five-dollar bill to him and grabbed the drinks.

"Keep the change; it wouldn't hurt you to smile either," She snapped, grabbing Kairi's arm and moving away. "My treat, Kairi, don't worry about it," Selphie said, looking at her friend with a smile. Kairi nodded her thanks, looking out in front of them.

"Watch it Selph!" She cried as her friend collided with a tall, black-haired girl's back. "Oh, is that you, Tifa?" Kairi said, mainly noticing the black hair. The girl turned around with a smile.

"Nope!" She said in a cheery voice. "I'm Rinoa Heartilly from Traverse Town, nice to meet you." Kairi and Selphie shook hands with the girl.

"I'm Kairi, and this is Selphie. We're from Destiny," Kairi introduced. Rinoa nodded.

"Yeah, I've seen you hangin' out with Sora."

"You know him?" Selphie chirped.

"Only from track and everything. He's a really nice kid, it's too bad those assholes from the Hallow sort of smashed his nose earlier," Rinoa said with a grimace. "I caught sight of a group of guys following him over to the school before the boy's eight-hundred. I think Queen Bitch was with them," Rinoa said.

"Queen Bitch? As in...Faris Sherwiz?" Kairi guessed with a knowing smirk. Rinoa laughed.

"The one and only. She trampled my friend in your race...almost got you too, huh?" The black-haired girl asked, looking at Kairi. The shorter girl shrugged.

"Yeah. Is Garnet okay, then?"

"She's got a nasty bump on her head that's like, the size of an egg, but the swelling's going down pretty fast. It's not fair that Scherwiz can get away with that!" Rinoa exclaimed. "Garnet's been talking non-stop about how that bitch pushed her to the ground, but the medics aren't taking it, and no adult has come forward to say that Scherwiz _did_ push Garnet. I'm actually supposed to be getting a drink for her." The three girls looked to the line.

"Well, her hair'll be white by the time you get through the line. Jump in front of Hayner right there, just say that Kairi said it was fine," The redhead said. Rinoa flashed her a smile.

"Thanks, and nice to meet you two again," She said, walking over to the boy Kairi pointed out.

"I was about to suggest we start making out, get all the pervs watching us, and let her slip in then...but if you want to be boring..." She said with a smirk. Kairi shoved her playfully.

"No way. Yeah right. In your dreams. Let's leave before you get any more ideas," Kairi said with a loud laugh, opening her drink and taking a sip. "Ahhh...calories..."

-------------------

"Sora, what the _fuck _happened to you?" Riku said, holding a box of tissues while Cloud kept pushing Sora's head down so the blood would drain faster.

"Guess," Sora mumbled into the paper, wincing at the pain still resonating through his nose.

"I'm gonna beat the shit outta them, I fucking _swear_!" Roxas yelled; his hands clenched into fists. Axel rolled his eye and draped an arm around the smaller teen, ignoring Cloud's suspicious gaze.

"Rox, you need to chill, man. You mess with that crowd, and trust me,_ you'll _be the one walkin' outta there with a busted face," The redhead wisely said. Riku nodded, handing another tissue.

"He's right. We'll just keep a sharp eye out for the Hollow Bastion kids, and their coach," Riku said. "And Sora, don't go _anywhere_ by yourself. Hollow Bastion is racing you in the four-hundred and they'll no doubt want you out of that race too."

"Sure, mom," Sora joked, laughing a bit and spewing blood from his nose. Axel made a rather grossed-out noise.

"I think Cid and I are going to talk to Sephiroth about this, actually. And I'm sure a few of the other coaches who have kids who've been beaten up in the past will join us. Sephiroth can't keep his kids playing like this. It's pathetic," Cloud snapped, venom in his voice. "He's been getting away with this too long; it's going to _stop_."

"Forget talking, I think we should just screw up his face a bit," Cid said, walking up to the group and putting a hand on Sora's shoulder. He turned to Cloud. "I've talked to Traverse Town's coach, Terra, and Wakka; both of them agree that we should talk to Sephiroth. We should get this out of the way soon though, so no one else gets hurt. How's your nose feel, Sora?" Cid asked. Sora shrugged a bit and brought his head back up, pulling the red tissue away from his nose.

"It'll be fine. Hurts a bit now, but it's not broken or anything," Sora answered.

"Good. Cloud, let's take care of this fucker right now," Cid snarled, stalking off. Cloud rolled his eyes, but followed the man, his hands jammed in his pockets.

"Shit, your coach is sweet!" Axel exclaimed to Sora and Roxas, laughing a bit.

"No, he's a psycho and a sadist," Roxas deadpanned Sora grinned and punched his friend's shoulder.

"Nah-ah. He's just…serious. Encouraging."

"Threatening."

"Protective."

"But he has no problem breaking our legs if we don't run fast enough."

"He has _not_ broken anyone's leg!" Sora protested with a bright laugh.

"I swear Sora, he would have broken my leg—"

"Yeah _right_, Rox. You're his only long distance runner on the team. Cid loves you." Roxas made a horrified face and gulped theatrically.

"Come on, Sora, let's go get an ice-pack so your nose doesn't swell up too much," Riku said, breaking the sophomore's conversation and grabbing Sora's arm lightly. Roxas looked at the pair for a moment before shrugging and turning to go sit down. Axel followed along, his lanky arms swinging near his sides. Roxas threw him an annoyed glare, which the senior returned with a beaming smile.

"Ha! I _knew_ you liked me!" Axel exclaimed. Roxas rolled his eyes and dropped down on the grass.

"In your dreams, Axel."

"Hun, in my dreams, you do a _lot_ more than just _like_ me," Axel replied with a sultry smirk.

"Axel, let's just get this out there. You are _not_ going to fuck me any time soon. You are _not_ going to screw me over," Roxas stated flatly, his voice serious, although not scathing. Axel just shrugged and lay down on his back.

"I wasn't really planning on it."

"Which part? The fuck me and leave part, or the screw me over part?" Roxas asked, still serious.

"I'm not going to do either, Rox."

"It's _Roxas_. Say it with me," Roxas commanded. Axel just laughed and waved his hand dismissively with a roll of his eyes. "Seriously, Axel, I'm not kidding when I say you're not going to fuck me, okay?"

"…Would you go _out_ with me?" Roxas stared. That had been the last thing he had expected Axel—_Axel—_to say. He knew Axel's type all too well, and they didn't ask people to go out with them. Still…what if Axel was serious for once? Roxas wouldn't mind trying it, if anything just so he could get rid of his stupid crush on the older boy. Roxas's blue eyes flicked up to Axel's green ones, looking for some hint of deviousness in them. He found none.

"Not if you just want me for a fuck-toy. I'm not going to be your bitch," Roxas stated firmly. Axel smirked.

"_Rox_, I've had bitches. I've had fuck toys. And now…I want _you_. You're hot as hell, have a temper to match, haven't been nice to me once, have these fucking gorgeous eyes, you're a complete bastard, moody as all hell…and I've never wanted anyone more." Roxas raised an eyebrow, doubting. "I'm damn serious, Roxas. I mean, if I wanted a fuck-toy, I could go ask one of those girls over there," Axel waved his hand in the direction of the girls from Neverland, "But I really don't. I like you, Roxas. I want to get to know _you_, and not just your dick. Not that I don't want to get to know your—"

"Stop right there!" Roxas said, slamming a hand over Axel's mouth with a blush on his cheeks. "Okay, here's my answer: I'll go out with you..." Axel's eyes glittered. "…On two conditions. One, you don't treat me as your bitch. And that means you don't drag me around to every party you want to go to, you don't go around showing me off, and you generally let me live my life without significant input. I'm not apposed to you hanging out with me, but you're not going to start telling me who to hang out with, who not to hang out with and all that shit. You don't own me, and you don't control me. Two, you don't let me get _near_ any major drugs. _Do not_ let me do coke, X, acid, meth…any of it. Please," Roxas said, his eyes a bit pleading as he lifted his hand from Axel's mouth. Axel sat up.

"It's really obvious that those kids you hung out with in eight grade sort of screwed you up," He commented. Roxas snorted.

"No, they screwed me over. That's it. If Sora and Cloud hadn't been there…shit…I would have been so messed up," The blonde boy said quietly. Axel put an arm around him casually, squeezing the smaller boy's shoulder a bit.

"Roxas, I promise not to control you. And because I'm a bit afraid of your brother, I won't let you do any major drugs. _I_ probably won't even do them. I'll bet Sora's got a mean streak when he's pissed off too, so between your brother and Mini, you're safe from all harm," Axel said with an amused smile. Roxas sighed.

"Cloud's just paranoid when it comes to me. He's like an overprotective mom, worse sometimes."

"Maybe, but you'll appreciate it later. Holy fuck, I sound like a grandma," Axel commented. Suddenly a shadow fell over the two, and both of them looked up. Roxas recognized Seifer towering about them, a sleazy smile on his face.

"Look, it's the blonde fag. Where's the brown-haired one?" Seifer asked.

"Watch it, Seifer," Roxas snapped, his voice dripping with malice. Seifer glanced to Axel, whose arm around Roxas had tightened a bit in case the younger boy did something stupid.

"I don't believe we've met. Are you a fag too?" Seifer spat. Axel just laughed, coaxing a perplexed face from Seifer.

"Well then, I'm Axel and yes, I'm a fag, and I bet you'd be a good fuck. Want a go?" The redhead said with a cheery smile. Roxas couldn't keep the amused expression off his face. Axel was such a whacked kid. Seifer looked completely taken aback, his face unreadable.

"Whatever," He finally said after a moment of silence, then he turned his back to the two boys on the ground and stalked away.

"Well…that's Seifer…complete asshole, bully, and overall fucker. He beat Sora up once."

"I'll bet you didn't take that well," Axel commented with a chuckle. Roxas shrugged.

"Broke his nose."

"You pack quite the punch." Roxas turned to the older teen.

"Sure, I could show you if you like." Axel grabbed his new boyfriend's fist.

"Damn, you're going out with me and you're _still_ threatening me with bodily harm. I'm _so_ discouraged," Axel said dramatically. Roxas glanced at his watch, a smile still on his face.

"Shit Axel, you have two minutes 'till the four-hundred. You need to warm up," Roxas declared. Axel slowly rose to his feet, groaning. "Good luck okay? I'm gonna go find out if Sora's racing this one," Roxas said, standing up as well.

"Tell Mini to be prepared to get his ass kicked," Axel commented smugly. Roxas raised his eyebrows, shrugging.

"Whatever," He said, starting to walk off, but Axel grabbed his wrist, smiling at him before he attacked Roxas's lips with his own. Roxas stumbled back a few steps until he caught his balance and realized that Axel's tongue had invaded his mouth. Axel held Roxas's head close as he kissed the blonde as hard as he had ever kissed anyone in his life. Roxas let out a faint moan just before Axel pulled back.

"Rox, thanks for giving me a chance," The redhead said seriously. Roxas smiled at him, a faint blush on his cheeks, but a lustful glint in his eye.

"Good luck in the four-hundred," He said in reply, before smiling again and turning around to go find Sora.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I hope I'm able to inspire some of you to review, and in return you'll be able to inspire me!

For those of you who are crazy-confused about the title of this chapter, it comes from the quote "the right to swing you arm ends at the other man's nose", meaning you have the right to do what you want until it is going to injure or endanger someone else.

Again, thanks for reading…and congratulations for making it this far into the story! And we're not even half-way through yet…;)

Wykkyd


	14. Something Else

**A/N**: Well, this was going to be posted about five days before this, but I accidentally deleted this chapter and didn't have my normal computer to get it back…so I re-wrote what I could remember, and then had to wait to get back to my computer that has an internet connection to get the actual chapter off my email account. Soooo…really sorry about the wait, I know I promised many of you it would be up days ago! Sorry!

Of course, thanks to Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker, my awesome betas. And to all the reviewers of the last chapter, it looks like a few of you have recommended this story to your friends, and I'm super grateful!

**

* * *

**

**Something Else**

The awards ceremony was nothing Axel or Riku was really interested in. They'd go claim their place when their names were called, but it wasn't such a bit deal. Normally they knew what place they had before then anyway. Hollow Bastion had taken a thorough beating today, one thing most of the teams were excited about. Sora seemed to have a huge group of friends among all the track runners: after a few of the Hollow Bastion kids tried to beat him up, and succeeded to a point, most of the runners had taken on the motto 'beat Hollow Bastion or bust', and it had worked. The best place Hollow Bastion got was third in the eight-hundred. Sora of course had taken first, with Riku finishing a few seconds behind him. After Riku had crossed the finish line he had immediately grabbed Sora and started asking what happened, who did it…

"Riku, guess what?" Axel whispered, poking his friend in the side. Riku raised an eyebrow, bringing himself back to reality. "Roxas agreed to go out with me," Axel said with a grin. Riku shook his head with a roll of his eyes.

"I thought you didn't date people? And I thought Roxas wasn't 'special'," Riku drawled. Axel just shrugged. "Axel, don't screw around with him, please. I want this thing with me and Sora—"

"There _is _no 'thing'," Axel pointed out.

"When there _is_, I want it to work. And it won't work if my best friend is screwing with his best friend. Sora'll hate you, and me for being affiliated with you."

"Whatever happened to the whole 'if you have to choose between your best friend and your boyfriend, always ditch your boyfriend' thing?" Axel asked in a jesting tone.

"Since _you_ became by best friend and since _Sora_ became my…boyfriend-to-be," Riku retorted. Axel glared.

"Oh, look, that's Seifer who was just called up," Axel said suddenly, jerking his head towards the blonde-haired senior. "I met him this afternoon, I guess he's the bully of Destiny High." Riku shrugged in response, not really interested. "Roxas seemed to be on pretty bad terms with him." Riku just nodded, watching as the Demyx kid from Destiny Islands hopped up to claim second place…which meant that Axel had taken first in the one-hundred meter sprint…again. As predicted, Axel's name was called and the red-haired senior sauntered up to the small platform to grab his blue ribbon. With an un-enthusiastic wave, and a wink to Roxas who glared back, Axel turned right back around and went back to his seat.

------------------------

"Bet you five bucks Scherwiz is DQed," Rinoa said with a hopeful face, turning to look at Aerith who was holding an ice pack to her forehead. The brown-haired girl shrugged.

"Sure. It's thanks to the Twilight Town coach for vouching that she _did_ push me, though, otherwise she would have gotten away with it," Aerith reasoned.

"What _horrible_ sportsmanship...it's...it's..."

"Rinoa, it's alright. She's just a competitive bitch who saw me as a threat on the last lap. Don't let it get to you," Aerith said in her usual, calm manner. Rinoa gave a huff and held open the door to the school gym so Aerith could pass through behind her. The two friends made their way over to their team and sat down, immediately asking if anyone had taken a place. They were given a few names that had made it in top ten, but as the ceremony had just started several minutes before, there weren't too many to report. The announcer's voice carried through the gym, announcing boys' times for the sixteen hundred. Aerith and Rinoa let the names slide in one ear and out the other, waiting for someone recognizable to go up. A short haired blonde kid went up from Destiny Island and took fifth, and a boy that neither girl knew took fourth.

"...And our third place winner is Irvine Kinneas from Traverse Town, with a time of five minutes and fifty-two seconds!" The announced shouted. As the tall boy in the cowboy hat sauntered up the rows of runners, Rinoa turned to Aerith with a pout on her face.

"How come my ex boyfriend _always_ beats me!?" She asked with a mock-glare at Irvine. Aerith just shook her head.

"Kinda your fault for going out with him in the first place, Rinoa," The brown-haired girl chided with an amused smile. Rinoa just shrugged, starting to bounce up and down in anticipation as the girls' sixteen hundred top ten were called up. There were a few girls Rinoa recognized, including Kairi from Destiny Islands, Queen Bitch, and a couple that she had spoken with at the beginning at the meet from Neverland. The last girl called up in the top ten was Aerith.

"Way to Aerith!" Rinoa yelled as he friend stood up with a smile and walked to the front of the gym where she fell into place among the other nine girls.

"Third place goes to Natalie Bencher of Neverland," The announcer waited for the cheers to die down before speaking again. "And second place goes to Kairi Hikari of Destiny Islands!" Applause rang through the gym for the well-liked redhead as Kairi accepted her ribbon with a 'thank you' and a modest blush. "And first place would have gone to Faris Scherwiz, but we have decided she has to be disqualified from this event, and first place falls to Aerith Gainsborough from Traverse Town!" Congratulatory yells and whistles filled the room as her team jumped up, screaming her name and pumping their fists in the air. The brown-haired girl waved them down, took her blue ribbon and went to sit down again, a huge smile on her face. Faris came marching down the isle after her and Aerith stopped.

"Nice race..._bitch_," She whispered in the girl's ear, stepping back to give her an innocent smile as she flashed her ribbon. Faris's eyes flared, but she only stomped back to her team's row, furious.

-----------------

Sora took a deep breath and pushed open the door to his home quietly, trying not to make the slightest bit of noise. Saturday nights had always freaked him out, no doubt because of his father. Looking around the living room with wary eyes, Sora took his shoes off and climbed the stairs to his room. Once the door was shut, he let out a breath he didn't even know he had been holding and unpacked his backpack. The brunette tossed his track uniform in his dirty-laundry bin, as well as the tee-shirt he had been wearing that morning, and the socks he had worn all day.

After splashing water on his face to wake himself up a bit, Sora ventured downstairs, curious as to where his parents were. There was note lying on the kitchen counter.

_Sora-_

_We'll be back around nine. Have dinner ready._

_I heard you won the eight-hundred. We'll talk later._

_-Father_

The petite teenager sighed and tossed the note in the trash. It was eight fifteen right now, so he decided to make something quick and simple for dinner. Spaghetti had always been his favorite anyway, and he was too tired to make anything else. He hoped that his father's work today had gone well, because if it hadn't, their 'talk' tonight might not turn out so well. Sora trembled slightly, somewhat concerned for his own well-being.

He loved his father, and his mother. But not like most children love their parents. It was more of a deep respect. But while he respected his father and appreciated everything the man did for him, there was a part in Sora's mind that feared Roy, and feared him a lot. His feelings for his mother were similar. He appreciated everything she had done for him, but she intimidated him. And while she had never struck him, Sora couldn't help but worry that she would someday. _God, my dad's bad enough,_ Sora thought, putting the lid on the pan and turning on the stove. While he waited for the water to boil, the runner leaned against the counter and continued thinking, his mind going over all of his times and places and wondering which one his father would find the least satisfactory. Probably his fifteen-hundred. Well, no. Roy was going to be furious that he had dropped his sixteen-hundred at Cloud and Cid's insistence.

"Why does it have to be like this?" Sora whispered to himself, realizing that he was trembling again. He hated the fear he felt for his father, for his father's fists. He hated the cautious respect he held for his mother, expecting her to snap if he did one wrong thing. Suddenly the phone rang, making Sora jump in surprise. Making a dash across the room, he picked it up, greeting the caller in a friendly voice.

"_Sora? Hey, this is Riku."_ Sora let out a sigh of relief; he had expected the call to be from one of his parents.

"Hi Riku! What's up?" He chirped. Riku's laughter greeted his ear through the receiver.

"_I was just wondering if we could meet tomorrow and start training."_

"Training?"

"_Yeah, remember we talked about it last week, but then you got sick on Sunday?"_ Riku asked.

"Oh yeah! Um…yeah, I'd love to start training tomorrow. Could we meet at the Destiny High track?" Sora asked.

"_That works. How about around one o'clock?"_

"That'll be fine," Sora said. "Let me switch phones real quick." Sora grabbed the cordless phone on the table and pressed 'talk', then hung up the wall phone. "Okay, I'm back. So how was the bus ride home?" Sora asked, walking back into the kitchen to add the pasta to the boiling water.

"_It was okay I guess. Everyone was pretty tired so a lot of kids were just sleeping. How was your ride?"_

"It was fine. I just talked with Roxas and Demyx the whole way home, so I wasn't too bored or anything," Sora answered.

"_Did Roxas tell you that he's going out with Axel?"_ Riku asked. Sora smiled.

"_Oh_ yeah; talked about it the whole way back. He's excited, actually," Sora said.

"_Axel wouldn't shut up about it either,"_ Riku commented. _"I think Roxas is going to warm up to him; Axel's a good friend. He's more loyal than he appears."_

"I think Roxas already likes him. He wouldn't have agreed to date Axel if he didn't like the guy, so Axel's doing better than you think," Sora said in response, now stirring the noodles with one hand while holding the phone with the other. A faint buzz coming from the kitchen counter caught his attention, and Sora saw his cell phone vibrating rapidly. "One sec, Riku, someone's calling my cell," Sora said, before setting the house phone down and picking up his cell phone to check the number. He recognized his father's number and grabbed the home phone quickly. "Listen Riku, this is an important call, I'm gonna have to call you back," Sora said in a rush.

"_Don't worry 'bout it. See ya tomorrow,"_ Riku said. Sora hung up while flipping his cell phone lid open.

"Dad?" He asked into the receiver.

"_Hello son, Caroline and I are almost home. I just wanted to make sure dinner would be ready. Otherwise we'll stop at a restaurant," _Roy said. Sora glared at the surface of the floor, a little pissed off that his parents always threatened to go out to dinner if he didn't have it ready.

"It'll be ready, dad," Sora ground out, opening the fridge and pulling out a jar of sauce to heat up. "You might want to pick up some lettuce though, we're out."

"_Alright. One more thing, I'm expecting company at about nine thirty tonight, and I don't want you to be hanging around during our meeting. Just so you know."_

"Fine. See you soon," Sora said quietly, just before hanging up and slipping his phone back into his pocket. He wondered who this guest was, but it was most likely just a possible buyer for his father's failing business. He knew that Roy and Caroline had started to look into selling the small company as of late, because even with Caroline's vast inheritance, their money was just being whittled away trying to save the company. Sora dreaded the day everything bottomed out. He wasn't worried about their financial status or anything, but he did wonder about his parent's reactions to everything. And especially their reactions concerning him.

Just as Sora was straining the noodles and turning the stove off his parents came in the door, at exactly nine o'clock. Sora served them each a plate of pasta with sauce on it, then took the lettuce from his father and prepared a salad while Roy and Caroline started eating. Their exchange was in silence; no one offered a greeting, no one asked how anyone's day went. Sora tried reading his parent's faces in order to find out if their day went well or not, but they were emotionless as dinner dragged on. The tension in the air put Sora on edge and he found that his appetite was significantly decreased. Still in silence he made to stand up, plate in hand.

"Sora, where do you think you're going?" Caroline asked flatly, her eyes resting on her son for the first time that evening. Sora swallowed.

"Um…I'm not really hungry. I thought I'd just go upstairs and finish up some homework," Sora said softly.

"You have all of tomorrow to do homework, finish dinner with us," Sora's mother commanded. With a dejected sigh that held a bit of exasperation as well, Sora sat down and began rearranging the noodles on his plate. After a few minutes he felt his father's gaze on him and he looked up.

"Have you developed an eating disorder or something?" Roy demanded. "I won't have my son suffering from something so trivial. _Eat_, Sora, and eat now. You need your strength for running, remember that." Sora put his fork down loudly.

"I'm not anorexic dad, I'm just not hungry tonight. _Lay off_," Sora snapped, the tension in the room finally getting to him.

"Don't speak to your father in that tone," Caroline spat, glaring at her son, who returned her gaze defiantly. "If you're not hungry, then get out of here and do the dishes. We've got a guest coming in fifteen minutes." With a grateful sigh, Sora stood up and collected his dishes from the table, marching into the kitchen under the scrutinizing gaze of his parents.

"Dad, I'm meeting a friend tomorrow to train for the meet next Saturday, that okay?" Sora asked, not really intending to listen to his father if Roy said 'no'.

"That's fine, as long as you're up in the morning to run as well," Roy answered absentmindedly. Sora let a flicker of a smile cross his face before starting on the dishes.

-------------------------

Sora woke up early the next morning to go running with his father. He could hear Roy shuffling around his parent's room through the wall, and got up to put on some shorts and a shirt. When he had stripped his pajama top off, Sora glanced down at his chest and arms. It was a sort of morbid ritual he went through every morning: checking to see how his bruises and scratches were healing. Apparently Roy had been satisfied with Sora's race times yesterday, that or he didn't know of them yet, because Sora had gotten away without any new marks. Still, the ones from last Saturday were still visible, although the darkest was a faded purple and not serious. His arms were marked only by faint yellow marks that were still a bit tender to the touch, but were easy to overlook if you didn't know what you were seeing in the first place. Sora pulled a short-sleeved tee-shirt over his head, checking once in his mirror just to be sure that you couldn't see any injuries on his arms before changing into running shorts. It was rare that Sora could wear any type of short-sleeved shirt outside of his home, because normally his arms had purple splotches on them and he couldn't lie about them very well. After pulling on a pair of short socks, Sora stepped out into the hall and walked downstairs into the kitchen to grab an apple before heading out with his father. Roy was drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper with a scowl.

"G'morning dad," Sora greeted a bit hesitantly, not sure what mood his father was in.

"Do you have your times for me?" Roy asked, getting straight to the point. Sora nodded.

"Yeah, I haven't pulled them out of my backpack though." Roy looked up at the brunette with one eyebrow raised. Sora grabbed his apple from the fridge and tromped back upstairs to get the paper for his father. As he came back to the kitchen, his blue eyes scanned the page. He had good times; he had beaten last week's eight-hundred time by three seconds, although he had lost a few seconds in both the four-hundred and the relay. Hopefully Roy would overlook that. What Mr. Atari _wouldn't_ overlook was the missing sixteen-hundred time. Sora furrowed his brow, wishing he hadn't let Cloud and Cid talk him into dropping that event, but he hadn't had much of a choice. He had the feeling that Cloud was a bit suspicious of his reluctance to drop any event, and he didn't want to give the blonde-haired man any more reason to suspect anything. If _anyone_ found out…_Oh god_, Sora thought, his heart pounding just the slightest bit faster at the thought. Roy would kill him. "Here dad," Sora said, holding out the paper to his father. Roy took it without looking up at his son, the man's eyes breezing over the page. Sora stood there as still as possible, praying that his father would miss the sixteen-hundred bit. _Please, please, oh _god_, please…_

"Sora? What was your time for the sixteen-hundred, may I ask?" Roy said lightly, although Sora caught the anger hidden in the polite words. He took a step back.

"Well…Cid told me—"

"Not to compete? What did I tell you about dropping events Sora?" Roy said in a dangerously quiet tone. Sora took another step back. "_Answer me,_" Roy commanded, his sinister eyes boring a hole into his son's head.

"You told me not to, I know, but Cloud and Cid said that they didn't want me to get hurt, with that concussion and stuff," Sora said quickly.

"And what did _you _say about that?"

"I-I said I was fine. I said I could run the sixteen-hundred. Really, I did, but they didn't go for it. I'm really sorry dad, I tried, I really did!"

"Next time…_try harder_. Leave your apple, we're going running _now_," Roy snapped, slamming his coffee down on the table and standing up. Sora set his half-eaten apple down on the table as well and followed his father to the door to put on his shoes. _And now he's pissed off,_ Sora thought with a mental sigh as he obediently followed his father outside, shutting the door behind him. The first few steps into a pace told Sora that his father was in no mood for conversation. He just wanted to run. With a burst of sudden determination, Sora stepped it up, dying to prove to his father that he wasn't completely worthless, however futile the effort might be. If his father wanted to run…

--------------------

Cloud was staring out at the gray sky, a coffee cup cradled in his hands as his eyes glanced out the window onto the street. Mrs. Turner was watering her garden as she always did in the mornings before heading to volunteer at the local senior home, and in a few minutes Sora and Mr. Atari would come running by. His mind was a jumbled mix of thought fragments, none of which stayed long enough to be trapped and put back in their proper order. He was thinking of Sora, of Roy Atari, of Sephiroth, of Axel, of Axel and _Roxas_, and mostly, of Leon.

Leon was captivating, and Cloud couldn't quite place his own feelings for the slightly older man. He wanted to call them friends, but they didn't really _know_ each other that well. But maybe that was just the way it seemed, because really, Leon knew about Sephiroth, and that was Cloud's most personal and well-kept secret. _Roxas_ hardly even knew the extent of it. Regardless of whether they were friends or not, Cloud liked Leon. He liked his personality, his rather solemn mood, and Cloud wasn't naive enough to deny a certain physical attraction to Leon as well.

The blonde man glanced at the watch on his wrist: eleven fifteen. He would be meeting Leon at one thirty today. _What should I wear_? Cloud wondered, before catching himself and rolling his eyes. _It doesn't matter. Its just Leon…I like that black shirt, the one that Roxas said makes me—it doesn't matter…_

"Holy shit, Leon's made me go crazy," Cloud said aloud.

"Have you stopped denying your obvious attraction to that man?" Roxas asked with a teasing lilt.

"Shut up, Rox. I—"

"You like him, Cloud. Just admit it, okay?" The younger Strife child said, moving into the kitchen with groggy steps, intent on finding something to eat. Cloud sighed, running a hand through his hair as his eyes lit on Sora and Roy fast approaching his house. Sora's father was running, an angry glint in his eye, as his son ran by his side, frustration spelled out on his face with more than a hint of determination. Cloud smiled a bit when his eyes lit on the small brunette, although he didn't agree with how hard he was being pushed. _Running isn't everything, Mr. Atari_, Cloud thought in a scathing mental voice. As Sora ran by, he lifted a hand in greeting to Cloud but it was smacked down by Roy. A low growl made its way out of Cloud's throat and he stood up abruptly.

"That man is such a fucking _bastard_!" He said loudly, finally letting his growing hatred for the man break out. Roxas looked up sharply from his toast, surprised by his brother's outburst.

"Uh…"

"Why can't he just let Sora live a normal life! Sure, the kid's a good runner, but so are you, and I don't make you run fifty miles per week. Just _look at him_. Sora's doing great in track, but he messes up once and his father's on his back about losing! Whatever happened to supportive parents! I swear, that man has no respect for his son, and Sora still loves him like a fucking dog does his _master_," Cloud seethed, his furious eyes following Roy's back down the street. "Sora doesn't deserve to be treated that way; like a pet that Roy can just work and work and eventually all of it might pay off. Sora trains harder than the whole track team _combined_, dammit, and Roy _still_ won't lay off. I don't think it's healthy! The kid's way too skinny for his age, rarely has time to eat breakfast because they're always out running, spends lunch in the library because his dad won't tolerate anything but A's, and ends up cooking dinner for his parents at night! He's got to be exhausted," Cloud yelled, waving his coffee cup about in the air and sloshing more than half of it onto the floor. Roxas just stared in shocked silence. After letting Cloud cool down for a few seconds, he spoke.

"Cloud, Sora _loves_ running, maybe he doesn't mind it all that much. Maybe Roy just wants to see him be happy," He suggested in a small voice, a bit nervous that Cloud would start yelling at _him_.

"Sora might love running, but no one wants to train _that_ much. And Roy doesn't want _Sora_ to be happy, he wants _himself _to be happy with Sora. It's not fair that that kid has to deal with all the pressure Roy lays on him."

"Cloud, Roy's a supportive parent. He's not doing anything wrong," Roxas said, going back to his breakfast. Cloud sighed. Maybe Roxas was right, but something felt…_off_ when it came to Sora and Roy. Something felt plain wrong, and he couldn't figure it out. _Maybe Leon can help…he's not so biased_, Cloud thought, going to clean up the spilled coffee on the floor. He had a felling that his meeting with Leon today was going to be a rather solemn affair, between Sephiroth and the Atari's.

----------------------

Tifa made sure that she woke up before ten on Sunday morning, as she had a few chores to do before leaving with Riku for Destiny Islands. She had made plans to hang with Rikku for the day, wanting to make it a study date of some sort and get her homework done. Riku said he'd meet her at the docks around eleven thirty, so she had about an hour and a half to make sure the house was clean for her parent's company that night, and to walk over to Axel's to see if he wanted to come with her and Riku today.

An hour and fifteen minutes later Tifa shoved the bleach and comet under the bathroom sink and changed out of her pajamas, tying her hair back into a low ponytail just before she walked out of her house. Axel—by some curse of the gods—lived right next door to her, which meant that the two had had quite a few adventures together as children. As she had been doing since first grade, Tifa climbed up the drainpipe that ran right by the window in Axel's room, tapped on his glass five times and waited for him to get up and let her in. A few moments later her friend opened the window and she adeptly jumped over the windowsill and landed on his floor.

"Morning Axel!" She greeted with a smile that the redhead did not return, opting to go back to bed and fall face-down into his pillow. "Dude, it's—"

"Fucking early, that's what. The hell do you want?" Axel groaned.

"I'm going over to the island in a few minutes with Riku, he's hangin' with his mom and Sora today and I'm going over to see Rikku. I figured you might want to go bug Roxas or something," She said. Axel moaned.

"Not today, Tif. I've got a gazillion over-due papers to write for Mr. Campbell," Axel mumbled into his pillow.

"You're putting homework over Blondie? Oh my god, world's going to end!" Tifa gasped dramatically. Axel shook his head.

"I don't graduate if I fail his class, and he's been threatening me for weeks to do just that," The redhead said, lifting his head just a bit. Tifa shrugged.

"Well, Blondie _did_ say he would go out with you right? I mean, I don't see some random Saturday-night playboy here...or is he in the closet?" The black-haired girl said with a smirk.

"Under the bed," Axel deadpanned, glaring at her and then dissolving into laughter as Tifa went to check the bed. "You moron, what makes you think there's room for _anything_ under there, let alone a _person_?" Axel asked with a snicker. Tifa glared.

"You're an asshole, and I have to get to the docks. I'll see you later, call me if you need help with Campbell's essays, I can dictate or something," Tifa said, moving back to the window. "And get the hell out of bed!" She yelled before sliding down the drainpipe and running back over to her house. Axel just rolled over and groaned.

-----------------

Leon's face had slowly turned from its normal apathetic mask to a curious expression, and finally to one of anger as Cloud told his story. The brunette shook his head a bit, flipping the hair out of his eyes as Cloud stared down into his coffee.

"Sephiroth…he's probably the one man I actually hate. And it's not even _right_, because he did so much worse to you and you don't really hate him all that much," Leon said softly. Cloud gently placed a hand over Leon's larger one in a small gesture of comfort.

"You can hate him, Leon; it doesn't matter if I do or don't. I'm getting over it anyway, I really just want to put the whole thing behind me," Cloud said. Leon turned his palm face up, entwining his fingers with the blonde's and squeezing their hands together briefly. He smiled at Cloud.

"We'll figure something out. I'll help you get over it Cloud, really, I want to help," Leon spoke, his voice a mix of compassion and honesty. Cloud couldn't help but smile again; this was such a different side of Leon.

"Thanks. I'd…I think I'd like that," He whispered, a blush creeping onto his cheeks, making Leon smirk in triumph.

"Don't worry about it. So…you said you had something else to talk about?" The older man asked. Cloud's peaceful face became troubled once more, his thoughts drifting back to Sora and his father. It was such a delicate situation, and he had nothing but his own whim…but maybe talking to Leon could help sort everything out.

"It's about Sora Atari, that small brown-haired kid who runs the eight-hundred and got his nose smashed in yesterday?" Cloud started, making sure that Leon knew who he was talking about. Leon nodded to show he remembered Roy Atari's son. "God, this isn't really the place to talk about this…um… Would you mind taking a walk to the beach?" Cloud asked, realizing that there were far too many people crowded around them at the small café. Leon stood up, chucking his paper coffee cup in the trash before moving off to go pay. Cloud took this as a 'yes, I'd love to take a walk', despite Leon's lack of response.

Ten minutes later the two were strolling down the beach, Cloud's tennis shoes held in one hand as he ground his toes into the sand with a content face. Feeling a bit guilty for taking so much of Leon's time, he took a deep breath and began.

"You know Roy Atari?"

"Yeah, Sora's father right?" Leon confirmed. Cloud nodded.

"The one and only," The blonde said, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "I guess you could say we've never seen eye-to-eye with each other, especially when it comes to Sora. He's a brilliant runner, Leon, and part of that is due to his father, I know. But the fact is, Roy pushes Sora too hard and I can tell it's taking a toll on Sora. Shit…I don't really know what I'm trying to say…" Cloud moaned, running a hand through his unruly hair.

"What do you mean 'taking a toll on Sora'?" Leon asked, trying to get a better picture of things. Cloud sighed.

"He never does anything anymore. He…he's never out on Sundays, runs in the mornings with Roy for an hour or more, normally misses breakfast because of it, and has to run to school. I pick him up when I can, but my classes have been interfering with the time frame. He spends his free time running or studying, and he's just stressed out," Cloud said.

"He doesn't seem to be stressed at all, Cloud," Leon commented.

"You wouldn't be able to tell unless you've been around him outside of track season."

"So this only happens during track?"

"To this extent. But if it's not running, then it's his grades. But even so…" Cloud said, trailing off. Leon stopped walking next to him, forcing Cloud to halt as well. The blonde turned his eyes to see Leon's stormy eyes resting on his face.

"Cloud, is this really about Sora missing breakfast, not having free time, studying and running too much, or is it something else?" Leon's voice had suddenly picked up an edge to it that put Cloud on guard. "Cloud, what is it you _really_ want to tell me?" Cloud ripped his gaze away from the man next to him, staring at the sand.

"You'll think I'm overreacting," He mumbled, suddenly unsure of his idea. A gentle hand cupped his chin and Cloud let Leon lift his face back up to look into those dark blue eyes once again.

"I promise I won't. Just tell me." Cloud had a suspicion that Leon already knew what he was going to suggest, but that he needed to hear it from Cloud's own lips.

"Leon, oh _god_…I…I think Sora's being abused."

* * *

I just replaced this chapter from the first edition that I posted, by beta kindly reminded me that I had left out two parts to this chapter! I'm glad that was caught!

Thanks so much for reading everyone! I'd love to get a comment from you guys, whether you liked it or hated it or don't have an opinion at all!

Wykkyd


	15. Should Have Sooner

**A/N:**Sorry about the wait on this, I was a bit busy. I'm not even posting this from my house, because I'm at a debate tournament right now. SO much debating...my brain is already on overload! Anyway, there's a few scenes in here that a lot of you have been waiting for for a while now...so I hope I did them justice! Read on!

Thanks to my betas, of course, goes to Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker! 

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**Track Season**

**Should Have Sooner**

Sora dumped his backpack on the bleachers and called out to Riku, who was running slow laps around Destiny High's track. When the silver-haired junior saw Sora, his eyes lit up and his sprinted over to his friend.

"Sora! It's good to see you!" Riku said, wrapping his arms around Sora in an enthusiastic hug.

"Uh…it's been less than twenty-four hours, Riku," Sora pointed out, wiggling out of Riku's arms with a small wince as an old bruise was brushed.

"How's your nose?" Riku asked, his voice laced with a bit of concern. Sora shrugged.

"It's fine, wasn't really bothering me that much last night either," He answered.

"That's good," Riku put in, his eyes resting on Sora's face for a lingering moment before blinking and moving over to the bleachers. "Anyway, ready to run?" He asked, grabbing a stopwatch from his own backpack and holding it up. Sora smiled and nodded his head, brushing his hair out of his face. "Okay, so your dad's time is one minute, fifty-five seconds. Do you know your average time for the eight-hundred?" Riku asked. Sora moved over to him.

"It's about two minutes," Sora answered with confidence. Two weeks ago his father had made him calculate his averages for each event he was in—by running them twenty times each, although not back-to-back.

"So in order for you to _really_ break your dad's record, you'll want about two seconds on him…" Riku mused.

"That means I'd have to get a time of one minute and _fifty-three_ seconds!" Sora squeaked.

"Brilliant observation, Sherlock," Riku teased, making Sora fold his arms and glare. "Seriously though, you can do it Sora. I _know_ you can," Riku said, placing a hand on Sora's shoulder and giving him a smile. Sora smiled back, although not his usual sunshine-in-a-can smile. Riku's eyes darkened a bit in concern. "Sora? What's wrong?" The petite brunette sighed, his gaze resting on the ground near his feet as his shoulders slumped. "Sora?" Riku asked, grabbing the younger teen's shoulders.

"It's just…what if I _can't _do it? What if I'm not good enough?" Sora whispered, turning his large eyes up to meet Riku's. _What has that Roy Atari been _telling_him?_ Riku thought with contempt.

"Sora, you can do it. You'll just have to trust me on that one," Riku said softly. "You can do this."

"But my dad said—"

"What? What did your father tell you?" Riku snapped, his grip on Sora's shoulder tightening enough to make Sora feel the bruises Roy had given him last week.

"It doesn't matter. Would you not grip so tight? That kind of hurts," Sora said in a small, but annoyed, voice, exhaling in relief when Riku immediately dropped his hands to his sides.

"Shit, are you okay? I'm sorry," Riku apologized. Sora turned his back to Riku.

"Don't worry about it. Why don't I run two laps and we'll just take it from there okay? I'm warmed up," Sora said, not even waiting for an answer before moving to the track. "Three, two, one…start." Riku clicked the stopwatch on and sat back down on the bleachers, watching the black numbers counting up on the screen for a few moments before looking back up to Sora. _Shit…what just happened?_ Riku thought. _Why did he suddenly get so cold_? Riku hadn't missed the hurt look in Sora's eyes when he had asked Riku to loosen his grip, but it wasn't really an 'Ouch! That really hurts!' look, it was something else. Riku sighed, feeling extremely guilty for causing that look to appear in Sora's eyes. _Why is this affecting me so much! I've seen that look in tons of people's eyes!_ Riku mentally raged, running a hand through his hair and tugging on it for good measure. _Sure…but this isn't anybody…this is Sora_, he reasoned, sighing miserably.

Sora decided to really _run_ the eight-hundred for now; pretending he was racing or something like that. It felt wonderful to be running without the scrutinizing eyes of his father on him for once. He wished Riku had come with him, but really wasn't surprised that the junior hadn't, considering Sora had sort of given him the cold shoulder for no apparent reason a few moments ago.

_I shouldn't have done that_, Sora thought as he ran, already feeling his conscience kicking in. He had always hated it when people did things that his father had done at some point, such as griping his arms or wrists tightly, or pulling on him too hard. Most of his friends from Destiny High knew that he didn't like to be treated too roughly, but Riku wouldn't know about that. _It wasn't even his fault…it wasn't like he was _trying_to hurt me!_ Sora thought, staring at Riku who was slouched a bit dejectedly on the bleachers, staring at the stopwatch held loosely in his hand. Sora finished his first lap and ran off the track, sitting down next to Riku. The silver-haired teen gave him a confused glance.

"Sora…you have one lap left," He commented. Sora sighed and reached over Riku to press the 'stop' button on the timer.

"I'm sorry, Riku, about what just happened," He said, a bit out of breath, but still getting straight to the point.

"No, I shouldn't have grabbed you like that. It was mostly my fault," He pressed.

"Really, Riku. You didn't know. I just…don't really like it when people grip me too tightly. It sort of freaks me out, I guess." Riku smiled a bit and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy sitting next to him, resting his head in the crook of Sora's neck.

"Okay, I'll remember. It won't happen again," Riku said sincerely, pressing a chaste kiss on Sora's collarbone, drawing a shocked gasp from the brunette who now had a tinted shade of pink on his cheeks. Riku laughed and pulled back, resisting the urge to do it again just to see Sora blush like that once more. Instead he jumped up and grabbed Sora's hand. "Let's try this again, we can race," He proposed. Sora let himself be pulled to his feet.

"You're on," He said, his eyes flashing with laughter as he dashed to the track, Riku following with a happy smirk.

----------------

"_Leon, oh god…I…I think Sora's being abused."_

Leon stared at him for several long moments, making Cloud glance away from the piercing gaze. He shouldn't have said anything…it probably wouldn't amount to anything anyway.

"Cloud, that's serious," Leon stated firmly. Cloud looked back up, glaring. _Of course it was! _

"I_know that_, Leon! And that's why I'm telling you! Don't ask me to reconsider it, because I won't. I might not be sure, but it's better than leaving the whole issue alone," Cloud said, his voice loud enough to attract the attention of several couples walking hand-in-hand near them. Leon put a hand on Cloud's shoulder and started walking again.

"I didn't mean it like that Cloud…it's just…Sora…"

"…Doesn't really seem like he would have to endure that, huh?" Cloud said knowingly. Leon nodded grimly. "But what am I supposed to do about this?"

"_We_, what are _we_ going to do about this?" Leon corrected, obviously deciding to take a part in all of this. Cloud frowned.

"Leon, don't feel as if I'm asking to you get involved. I just wanted to talk it through to see if my suspicions could be right. I know you have a lot on your plate right now," The blonde said, his blue eyes staring off at the horizon. Peripherally he saw Leon shrug.

"I can't just talk this through with you and leave. I actually have something like a conscience, you know," Leon said with a smirk, to which Cloud rolled his eyes. "But seriously, I can't. There aren't many people I hate more than Sephiroth, but child abusers are among those few. I…have a bit of experience with this anyway," He finished with a sigh. Cloud looked at him sharply, the question in his mind easily readable. "No, I wasn't abused as a kid, far from it. But I'm housing a kid who's recovering from it, and I know his story. It's horrible, it really is."

"Who's staying with you?" Cloud asked, wondering if he knew the kid and desperately hoping he didn't.

"Zexion. Junior, silver hair, long-distance runner," Leon stated, his voice a bit dry. Cloud sighed; yeah, he knew him. Roxas talked about him a lot, and Demyx seemed to like him quite a bit.

"I'm sorry, Leon, you definitely don't want to get wrapped up in this then," Cloud said.

"No, I _want_ to. I know Sora's like a brother to you and Roxas. He seems like a nice kid. But before we do anything we should talk about why you think this in the first place. Let's sit on that log over there," Leon suggested, waving to a log sitting horizontally along the beach just a few meters away. Cloud followed him and sat down, immediately putting his face into his hands. He felt Leon wrap an arm around him in a friendly gesture and leaned into the touch, resting his head on the older man's shoulder. All of a sudden the movement didn't feel casually friendly anymore; his heart was pounding a bit harder than normally, and it didn't have anything to do with their discussion, but Cloud firmly shoved those thoughts out of his head and focused on Sora.

"I didn't seriously start suspecting anything was wrong until Sora showed up to practice one day after school and started puking his guts out half an hour into practice. He was showing all the signs of a concussion, but said he didn't know what had caused it. Sora's not a good liar, and I _know_ he remembers, he just wouldn't tell me. After that I started really keeping an eye on him, and asking Roxas as many questions as I could get away with without him becoming suspicious. Sora's always been a happy kid, but there were times when it didn't seem real, you know? Like just after he's been at home or with his father. And Roxas said he would never hang out on Sundays—ever—which was the day after track meets, of course. He seemed to get sick on Sunday's a lot too, but Roxas would never actually _see_ him, and the next day he'd show up to school seeming fine, if not a bit stiff.

"And then I started thinking about what _I've_ noticed in Sora's behavior. He always lags behind after track practice, taking an extra lap or three before heading home at a fairly slow pace; he'd never take rides with me unless he was coming home with us, something he _never_ objected to. There are other things: he normally wears long-sleeved shirts, even at track, and Roxas says he's never seen Sora take his shirt off in the locker rooms. He always changes in one of the stalls. Sora hates being gripped tightly by his friends—anyone, actually—and used to get really distant and submissive back when he was younger and someone would pull him around. He still does occasionally. And he's always told his father _everything_, as well as obeying him to the pinpoint. He's cut out of Roxas's birthday party early because his father wanted him home by six, and Roxas is his _best friend_," Cloud said, still leaning on Leon.

"What about Roy Atari? I don't know him past all the tabloids," Leon prompted. Cloud snorted.

"He's a bastard. Really. Everyone knows he pushes Sora hard, but to me he's pushing Sora _too_ hard. Roy's defensive whenever you talk to him about Sora, and tends to insult him—whether Sora's within earshot or not. I don't think I've ever seen Roy smile at his son, or compliment him, to_anyone_. It's not natural behavior to treat your own kid that way!"

"And what about Mrs. Atari?"

"I don't even know her. She's a bit of a recluse on Destiny. Never goes out except for work-related things."

"How often does she go out for those, then?" Leon asked.

"Every day. She leaves with Roy just after Roy and Sora are finished running, and they rarely come home until late. Sora cooks dinner for them most of the time," Cloud answered, feeling a bit drained. Leon was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Keep paying attention to Sora, then. I'll talk to Zexion about it—that kid has this drive to help _anyone_ in that sort of situation. If you can, Cloud, try and see if Sora's sensitive in any particular areas of his body. His back or chest; those are the most common for bruising or cuts. And keep an eye on his arms too; even if he's wearing a long-sleeved shirt, there might be some off-colored skin," Leon said. Cloud sighed, he was so grateful that Leon knew something about this. Automatically, Cloud leaned into the brunette a bit more and wrapped his arms around Leon's waist.

"Thanks, Leon. I appreciate this, and I'm sorry for taking up so much of your time," Cloud said, still holding Leon close.

"I'm glad you told me, Cloud. Make sure you keep me posted. Why don't we see if we can have a scrimmage race sometime during the week? Then Zexion can actually watch Sora for a bit; he knows more about this stuff than me. Plus, it'd be a fun day for the kids too," Leon suggested.

"That's a good idea. I'll talk to Cid about it," Cloud answered, nodding his head slightly for no real reason. There was silence for a few moments; the only noise being the waves lapping at the beach near them and their steady breathing. Cloud could feel Leon's heartbeat with his chest, the quiet _lub dup, lub dup_ pulsing gently.

"Cloud, can I kiss you?" Cloud didn't so much hear the words as feel them, ghosting along his neck and running down to the very base of his spine. Leon's breath was caressing his ear and neck, the brunette's lips so close Cloud could feel the faintest brush already upon him. _How in hell am I supposed to say 'no' to that? _He thought, letting all previous hesitations flee from his mind as he turned his head to look at the older man.

"Ye—" Cloud whispered, but Leon couldn't have heard him because as soon as their eyes connected the brunette had claimed Cloud's lips, kissing him with a gentle but confident passion.

Cloud forgot everything except Leon, pressing their bodies closer together as he responded with an animalistic rush of something halfway between sweet and kind and something lustful and vicious. Leon's tongue was invading his mouth eagerly, and Cloud was too far gone to attempt to gain any sort of dominance over the stormy-eyed man so he settled for being forced on his back, the knots and small branches on the log poking into his spine uncomfortably. The blonde let his hands tangle themselves in Leon's hair, pulling it back from his face and massaging his scalp while pulling the older man closer to him, if that was possible. Leon's corresponding moan sent vibrations down Cloud's throat and he couldn't help but smile into their heated kiss. The brunette pulled away for a moment, his eyes glassy and his breathing quick and harsh. Cloud's hands moved to the other man's chest, not holding him away, but simply touching him. Leon glanced away.

"I'm sorry about that, Cloud. It won't happen aga—" He started to apologize, but Cloud rolled his eyes and pulled him down against him, smashing their mouths together in another heated kiss as he moved his hands to Leon's waist, gripping the hem of his jacket. Cloud turned his head a bit to break the kiss, as he was unable to move his head back any further.

"Don't be sorry," Cloud said. "I'm not." Leon smirked and sat up, pulling Cloud with him until they had both situated themselves normally on the driftwood log. "I'll see you on Wednesday then?" Cloud asked, a faint blush on his cheeks as he gazed at the sand underneath his bare feet.

"Wednesday," Leon confirmed. "But call me if you notice something's up with Sora, alright?" He asked. Cloud nodded solemnly and the two of them stood up to head back to Cloud's car. On their way back up the beach, the blonde's hand found its way into the slightly larger one belonging to Leon. _I should have agreed to this sooner_, Cloud thought, a happy smile crossing his face as he squeezed Leon's hand once more and felt the brunette squeeze back.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Is this the story's first...well, make out scene? Cool. Hope you liked it then! I tend to treat scenes like that in moderation, so enjoy the ones that are in here!

I'd love reviews from you guys! But you already know that! Hey...new record of reviews for that last chapter. Almost to thirty I think! Blew me away and made my WEEK when I got to read them all. Love you all.

Well, I'm off to debate...more.

Wykkyd


	16. I Wish

**A/N**: Wow. I've gotten SO many reviews for the last couple chapters…I'm just…incredibly happy! The percentage of reviewers to readers is amazingly high compared to some! I know I probably tell you this every time, but you guys are wonderful! I didn't get around to responding to a lot of your reviews for chapter 15, I was really busy, and I'm sorry about that. I'll try and do better this time!

Love to my betas, Riku-stalker and Bubble Master Califa!

**

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**

Track Season 

**I Wish…**

"Caroline, face it! Our firm is going bottom up! It's not going to continue no matter how much of your father's money you dump into it!" Roy screamed, waving his arms in the air for emphasis. At the other end of the table his wife sighed heavily, her left hand absentmindedly coiling a lock of hair around her finger.

"Honey, what else are we supposed to do?" She asked sullenly, her eyes reflecting the stress and tension between them and their financial situation.

"Sell it. We'll put offers in the papers of all the major cities around here. With the right management, it could be a good law firm," Roy answered.

"And _then_ what? What will _we _do?" Caroline asked, panicky. "This is our _business_! We've put everything into it! We put more into this then we do our own _son!_ God...how horrible is that?" She moaned.

"We'll figure something out," Her husband snapped, ignoring his wife's comment about their son. He took a swig of his wine from the glass in front of him before getting up and leaving the room in frustration. He found his son in the entryway, taking his shoes off. "Put those back on Sora, we're going running," Roy commanded. "I'll be back in two minutes."

"Dad, I've been running with Riku for two hours, and we already went out this morning!" Sora protested. Roy spun around, his eyes narrowed in anger. His hand shot out and dragged Sora to him by the boy's collar. Didn't the boy understand that this was not for _him_?

"I want to go running and you're coming with me, whether you like it or _not_!" He spat, his eyes flashing as he threw his son away from him and marched down after the boy. "Get _up_, Sora! I _said_, we're going running," Roy repeated, delivering a sharp kick to his son's side. Sora cried out, curling into a ball in defense. "GET UP!" Roy screamed, startling Sora out of his position on the floor and into a standing position, the young teen's blue eyes full of fear and tears. Roy sighed. "You're a worthless piece of shit, Sora. I want you to grow up knowing that. But if you work hard enough, you might be something one day, something like me," He stated, his voice serious with only a hint of frustration in it. Sora stood there, leaning on the door, his mouth open in shock. _Did he just say that_? _Did dad just..?_

"D-dad…" Sora said, his eyes wide. He saw his father's hand strike out and felt a sharp, burning pain in his nose as well as something warm dribbling down his face. _Shit_, Sora thought, as he tasted blood in his mouth.

"Two minutes, Sora, and then we'll go running. You want to be something when you're older, don't you?" Roy asked, not waiting for an answer before turning away from his son.

Sora slumped down on the floor, his fingers pinching his nose as he held his head down to drain the blood onto the floor. He didn't feel like going down the hall to the bathroom. Tears pricked at his eyes, a combination of what his father had said to him as well as the stinging pain in his nose. He could hear his father thumping around upstairs, obviously very angry about his conversation with Caroline, or maybe just too stressed out. Either way, Sora hated when his father got like this because Roy didn't show any restraint when it came to hurting him. Last time this had happened Sora ended up in the hospital with a gash on his arm that had been created when Roy threw a shard of a broken plate at him.

The blood flow had just about stopped when Sora heard his father coming out of his room. On light feet, Sora walked down the hall into the bathroom and managed to get most of the blood off his face and hands before he heard Roy yelling at him. Grabbing a handful of tissues for his nose, Sora ran out to meet his father and let himself be dragged outside.

Caroline watched the two from the kitchen table, stress on her features. What was happening to this family? What had gone wrong? In the back of her mind she remembered when they had been happy, and realized that it was before her and Roy had prioritized the law firm over everything. Even over their family.

Sora knew he was in for it as his father turned off from the sidewalk and sprinted into the park, past the section where all the mothers and their children were and into the special section that was designed for runners and cyclists. Sora could feel his legs become weaker much faster than they should have due to all the running he had done previously, but he refused to let himself fall behind. About a mile into their run Sora began feeling his nose begin to bleed feebly again, and found that it was much harder to run when pressing a tissue to your nose so blood wouldn't spill everywhere. Roy kept glancing at him, but there was only anger in his eyes, no concern or sympathy. Sora tried, for the most part, to avoid his father's gaze and focus on running.

Five minutes later a light rain started up, something which Sora's overheated body was extremely grateful for. And even when he was soaked to the bone, sweat and rainwater cascading down his face, Roy kept running. The pace had slowed down a bit, but Sora's legs were weakening drastically and he could only hope that Roy would call it quits sooner or later, preferably sooner. When the pair reached a small clearing in the midst of the woods Roy slowed to a walk, and then finally stopped moving forward all together. Sora stood next to him, his head down and his hand wiping the remaining blood off his face. His nosebleed had stopped a little while back, although the tissue was still very sensitive.

When the silence between them became awkward, Sora glanced up at his father. Immediately, Roy's large hand struck out, catching his son in the left shoulder and sending him stumbling back into a tree.

"Sora, you're always too slow. I don't know why I do this for you anymore…all this running…all this training. It'll never amount to anything, because you're never to going to be half of what I was. You're never going to be someone that any sponsor would want to even be _affiliated_ with, Sora. You're a lost case. Too lazy to try and be something out there someday. I can see I'm wasting my time," Roy said, glaring at his son as the hurtful words pierced through Sora's heart.

"Dad! Don't say that! I try, I really do. I run _all the time_, dad. I love it! You've never been able to see when I really do well, all you look at are the races that I've lost, or the times that were below my record. Why can't you, just for once, try and support me!" Sora cried desperately.

"I _do_ support you Sora! But you're too ungrateful to see it! What do you call _this_? All this running I do with you? Isn't that _support?_ Because if this isn't support, than I don't know what is," Roy yelled, shoving his son's chest viciously.

"You push me too hard, dad! You're _always _saying I need to run harder, run faster, run more…but then I do, and suddenly it's not enough anymore! I've pushed myself so hard that I passed out, spat blood…and you can only see my time in comparison with some standard that you set for me," Sora snapped back. His father raised a hand and brought it down on his cheek, hard enough to bruise faintly. The resounding 'smack' that filled Sora's ears was ringing in the silence that encompassed him and his father for a moment.

"Don't speak that way to me, Sora. The standard I set for you is what I set for myself back when I was your age. You have yet to beat any of my records, and _that's_ what I want you to do. God knows you've failed so far, so I don't think you'll _ever_ be able to live up to what I used to be," Roy commented.

"Please dad…" Sora whimpered, too drained to argue any further.

"Shut up, Sora. You're an insolent, ungrateful brat and I don't know why Caroline and I even put up with you anymore. We have a lot of stress in our lives—like you understand _anything _about running a business—and _you_, you're just adding to that stress!" Sora felt his father's fist hit him in the stomach, winding him and forcing him to double up. _Is this what this is all about? Stress? Running? Work? _Another blow to his back brought Sora to his knees, arms wrapped around his ribcage as his father continued his onslaught of vicious attacks. Somewhere in the middle of it his nose started to bleed…_again_…but it was soon lost in the pain radiating from his chest and upper arms until everything consumed him and Sora felt himself slipping away from everything and into the world of unconsciousness.

-------------------

Sora woke up shivering and sore, laying in a crumpled heap underneath a tree in the park, his father long gone. After making sure that nothing was seriously injured he sat up, propping his back against the trunk of the tree he was near and ignoring the small scrapes and bruises that were aggravated by the motion. Due to the stinging in his back, Sora figured that when he had fallen on the ground the gravel must have cut into his back quite a few times. _Dammit dad…_Sora thought miserably, putting his face in his hands and trying in vain not to let tears leak out of his eyes. _Why does it have to be like this_? _Why can't we go back to being the happy family we used to be…before I started junior high?_ Sora wondered rhetorically, finally giving in and letting sobs consume him as tears dripped down his cheeks, mixing with the rainwater as it splashed down from the leaves of the tree he was under.

Memories of his life before all this...shit...came back, bringing a weak, hopeless smile to his face.

He had been in the park, running along side his father with the energetic and uneven stride of an eight-year old...

"_Come on, Sora, I know you can run faster than that," Roy said with a true smile, laughing as his son sprinted ahead._

"_This is my fastest, I promise!" Sora chirped, even as he ran faster. His father continued laughing, quickly catching up to Sora and grabbing him, spinning the young boy around._

"_How's lunch sound? Mom's got a picnic set up," Roy said. Sora's blue eyes lit up and he turned around, already running back towards his mother._

"_Race you!" The young boy shouted over his shoulder while Roy walked behind him. Caroline gave the two a wide smile, waving them over as she riffled through her bag for paper plates._

"_You're a fast little runner," The woman said, glancing at her husband with shining eyes. Roy winked._

"_That he is," He agreed._

"_I'm gonna be just like daddy!" Sora exclaimed, sitting down and taking his sandwich that Caroline offered. His parents laughed, sharing another look._

"_We hope so, kiddo," Caroline said, "Roy is definitely someone to look up to."_

"This is no time a night for a kid like you to be outside," A deep voice said from somewhere nearby, bringing Sora out of his memories. Sora was on his feet like lightning, looking around wildly for the source of the voice as his brushed tears away from his face. Suddenly a man stepped into the clearing, a tall man dressed—from what Sora could tell in the darkness—in a dark red trench coat. He had long black hair, with a red cloth wrapped around his head in a sort of horizontal headband. Sora backed away without saying anything. The man came a bit closer. "Are you alright?" He asked quietly, his tone still gentle as if he was talking to a scared seven-year-old. Sora nodded his head, terrified. "You really don't look it, you know; you're face has blood on it, your nose is swollen a bit, there's blood on your shirt, and I can't see a square inch of skin that isn't discolored. You don't seem like the type of punk to pick a fight, but what happened?" Sora stood still, his eyes darting around for someplace to run if the man came any closer.

"I-I-I…" Sora stammered, trying to come up with something quickly, "I-it w-was just s-some kids f-from school," He said.

"That's a lie, but it doesn't matter, I suppose. Can you walk?" The man asked. Sora glared at him.

"I'm _standing _aren't I?" He asked, finding his voice and loosing a bit of his original terror when the man didn't seem to be a pedophile or anyone who really had any intent of hurting him. The man laughed a bit and leaned against a tree near him, still not coming any closer to Sora.

"That doesn't mean you can walk, though, does it?" He asked in an amused voice. Sora shook his head in defeat.

"I can walk, though. Really. I'm fine. I don't live too far from here," The petite teen said quietly. He was trying to place this man in his mind, but he wasn't coming up with anything. Destiny Islands was small enough that everyone pretty much knew everyone else in the town, but this man must be new, or just visiting.

"I'll drive you there. And don't worry, I won't kidnap you or anything like that. Trust me," The man said. Sora nodded warily. The man didn't seem like the type to do anything to him, and he wasn't looking forward to walking home tonight either. In fact, he wasn't looking forward to going home at _all_. He moved towards the man, following when the man turned and began walking down the path. "You can call me Vincent. What's your name?"

"Sora," Sora responded automatically, his head hanging. "Um…do you know what time it is?" He asked in a small voice.

"It's almost one in the morning. Like I said, hardly a time for a kid like you to be out and about."

"I wouldn't really call what I was doing being 'out an about', but ignore that and I'll agree with you," Sora said ruefully, sparking a low laugh from Vincent. "So what were _you _doing out, then?" Sora asked.

"Just taking a walk. I couldn't sleep," Vincent responded simply. The two emerged from the park a few minutes later and Vincent steered Sora in the direction of his car. The teenager climbed into the passenger seat as Vincent turned the keys in the car. "Which way to your house, then? He asked.

"Oh, I live on Pioneer Avenue. Number five forty-two," Sora answered. Vincent nodded to show he knew where they were going and pulled out into the empty street. As they passed underneath a streetlight Vincent glanced over at his passenger and almost turned around to head in the direction of the hospital. The boy's nose was indeed swollen, possibly broken, and blood was smeared all over his cheeks. There was a nasty purple mark on the teen's cheek that was facing Vincent, and a small cut on it was still bleeding slightly. Moving a bit lower, Sora's thin neck was bruised as well, not as badly as the bruising on his cheek. Vincent knew from the boy's face and neck that his torso was in pretty bad shape as well.

"Are you sure you're alright? Nothing broken?" Vincent asked again, just to make sure. Sora hesitated a bit before nodding his head.

"No, I'm just a little banged up. There's nothing broken," He said quietly. Vincent nodded his head a bit and continued driving, lost in thoughts revolving around Sora. A few minutes later he pulled up in front of a small, off-white house with green trim and a well-cared-for lawn. Number five forty-two. "Thanks so much for the ride, I appreciate it," Sora said, giving the man a smile as he slipped out of the car.

"I'm going to make sure you can get inside before I leave, alright?" Vincent called softly. Sora nodded and walked up to the front door, turning the knob and not acting surprised when it was locked.

"Lemme try around back," He called before darting around the house. A minute later Sora appeared through the front door and gave Vincent a thumbs-up. With a friendly wave, Vincent drove off.

Sora crept into his house as quietly as humanly possible, terrified of waking his parents up and further angering his father. He made it up to his room, shut the door and switched on the small light near his bed. The red luminescent numbers on his alarm clock read '1:10', an ominous number to Sora who had school the next day…and a run with his father no doubt. With a sigh, Sora took off his soaked shirt, grabbed a clean set of pajamas and stepped out into the hall, walking down the stairs to the bathroom that was adjacent to the kitchen. He didn't want to wake his parents up as he took a shower, and there were also more medical supplies in this bathroom. Once he was standing in front of the mirror Sora let the clothes in his arms fall to the ground as he examined his face, neck, and torso. His left cheek was bruised, most likely where his father had struck him for the first time that night. Along his cheekbone there was a small cut, but nothing to be concerned about, his neck was slightly bruised in certain places, though they were insignificant compared to his chest and torso.

His back was a mess of little cuts where pieces of gravel had pierced his skin; he could still see some of the small stones in his back. More bruises outlined his spine, and there were a few random splotches in the shape of a large fist on the backside of his ribcage. His chest was a mass of discolored splotches, most covering his stomach and ribs. The worst of the bruises was on his right shoulder, a dark purple, just several shades away from being black. There was the occasional red splotch inside of it, and smaller fingerprint-shaped bruises surrounded it. With a pained face, Sora brushed his hand over it, wincing as it made its intolerance to touch known. His upper arms held grip-like bruises, no doubt from his father's hands as he was pinned to the ground; there were even a few odd marks on his forearm, fingerprint-shaped again.

Sora finished stripping all of his clothes off and turned the shower on. While he waited for the water to warm up he grabbed a smaller mirror on the wall of the shower, thankful that his mother was frivolous enough to buy mirrors for the shower. He had put this item to use many times before. A hiss of pain escaped his lips as the hot water ran over his wounded back and chest, upsetting the lacerations that had tried to start healing themselves. For another pain-filled hour Sora removed bits of gravel from his back and washed the cuts out, worried about infection. By the time the last small rock was out there was a small pile of them on the floor of the shower, and Sora's shoulders hurt badly from straining to maneuver into the awkward positions that were required for reaching the different areas of his back. _God dammit dad…school's going to be hell tomorrow. Why can't I ever have a normal Monday_? Sora asked silently, rinsing the last of the blood off his back and turning off the water.

When he was wrapped in a dark blue towel, Sora put the shower mirror away and began applying disinfectant to the cuts on his back that he could reach without killing his shoulder. The dark bruise on his right shoulder was positively screaming at all the movement, but Sora tried not to focus on it as he put a dab of white cream on each laceration on his back. Ten minutes later Sora changed into his pajama bottoms and dried his hair off a bit before applying some sort of healing cream that his mother kept on hand over his bruises, especially the one on his shoulder. With a tired sigh, he put all the medical supplies back into their cupboard and walked back to his room.

That night he slept without a shirt on, stomach down, and with a blanket not covering anything but his legs so his back wouldn't start bleeding all over the place again. As soon as his head hit the pillow he felt into an exhausted sleep.

-----------------

The next morning Sora woke up to his alarm clock at seven thirty. Panic shot through him: he was supposed to run with his father at seven. Sora moaned into his pillow and pushed himself out of bed, wincing as his sore and stiff muscles immediately started protesting with painful jabs here and there. After making sure the cuts on his back weren't bleeding he threw a shirt on and walked downstairs. His parents didn't seem to be at home. Sure enough, there was a note on the table.

_You looked like you could use a bit more sleep. Your father and I will be home for dinner tonight _

_at six—have something ready!_

_Love mom!_

Sora rolled his eyes and threw her note away. Still, it was nice that he didn't have to run this morning. Looking at the clock on the wall he noticed he had about forty minutes to get ready for school. With a moan, Sora tramped back upstairs and packed his backpack before setting his alarm to eight ten and going back to sleep.

When the frantic beeping of his alarm clock woke him half an hour later Sora got out of bed for the second time that day, if anything, feeling more tired than he was back at seven thirty. He grabbed a long-sleeved shirt to wear for the day and a pair of blue jeans before heading into the bathroom with his concealer. Three minutes later he emerged into the hall looking relatively normal as far as skin coloring went. He grabbed his cell phone in his room and dialed Roxas's number, wondering if he could get a ride.

"Rox?"

"_Need a ride?"_

"Yeah, that'd be great," Sora responded.

"_We'll be there in five, see ya,_" Roxas confirmed before hanging up. Sora dropped his phone into his pocket, grabbed his backpack and went downstairs to grab an apple for breakfast. He made sure that he had money to get lunch at the school and then sat down on the couch, head in hands.

His entire body hurt. His right shoulder was as agitated as ever, screaming in pain whenever he moved his arm, his back and torso didn't want to be moved either, and his left cheek was extremely tender to the touch. On top of all that, he barely got four and a half hours of sleep last night, and was officially a worthless piece of shit in his father's eyes. A honk outside signaled the start of his day at school.

* * *

Ack…sort of a sad chapter I guess…But a necessary one. I wouldn't do that to Sora if I didn't half to…or maybe I would...;) Still, I'm kind of proud of this chapter. It wasn't as easy to write as some of them, and I think it came out pretty well.

Anyway, I'd love to hear what you thought of it, as always! Review review review!

Wykkyd


	17. My Life Meets Yours

**A/N**: I hope this chapter isn't as depressing as the last (actually, I'm pretty sure it's not). Regardless, something to be really happy about and look forward too: Zemyx comes up in the next few chapters! I'm excited to see what you guys think of it. But for now, I hope you can enjoy this too! I really enjoyed writing the scene with Zex and Sora, all it's little ins and outs were fun.

Thanks to my betas, Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker!

* * *

**Track Season**

**My Life Meets Yours**

Cloud couldn't help but notice Sora seemed especially tired this morning when the young teen climbed into the car and immediately let his head fall back against the headrest, closing his eyes. Whatever brotherly instinct he had in him started screaming that something was wrong, but Cloud pushed those thoughts away. As much as he worried about Sora, he didn't want to over-analyze the situation; Sora could just be tired. There weren't any visible marks on his face or neck, so Cloud couldn't find anything he should worry about immediately.

"Have a nice run this morning?" Roxas asked in a sarcastic voice. Sora shook his head.

"I woke up late; my dad was already gone."

"That's never happened before," Roxas commented.

"I know, but I got to bed really, really late last night so I'm glad I got to sleep in a bit," Sora answered, his eyes still closed. "What did you do yesterday?" Roxas shrugged.

"Not much. Talked with Axel a bit…Oh! But _Cloud_ did something!" Roxas exclaimed, a teasing glint in his eyes. Sora raised an eyebrow.

"Cloooouuuud?" Cloud rolled his eyes with a sharp sigh.

"I didn't do anything yesterday. I had a short meeting with—"

"'Short' my ass! You were gone for ages! At _least_ time enough for a few good_...you_know_,"_Roxas said with a laugh, making a blush spread across Cloud's cheeks.

"Is this about Leon too?" Sora asked with a small smile.

"Yeah. But we didn't do anything. We just discussed the meet last Saturday and went over a few issues that needed to be worked out as far as Sephiroth goes," Cloud answered firmly. In the rear view mirror he saw Roxas roll his eyes with a snort and Sora smile a bit, as if both of them knew that that wasn't _all_they did yesterday. Cloud pressed his lips together tightly and scowled, not willing to continue the playful argument.

-------------------

Zexion pulled the key out of the lock on Tuesday evening and walked into Leon's house, surprised to find that he was already home. The brunette looked up at his younger charge and waved him over to the couch where he was sitting. Zexion silently put his backpack down and sat next to Leon, eyebrows raised. Leon sighed quietly before putting the magazine he had been flipping through down on the coffee table.

"Zexion, I need your help. Actually, me, Cloud, and…Sora Atari need your help," He started, looking into the blue eyes of the junior.

"You mean; Cloud, Sora Atari, and _I_ need your help?" Zexion corrected with a perky smile. Leon rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. This is serious, Zex."

"So why does Sora—that short kid that Riku's into, right?—need _my_ help? And why Cloud? He's not even related to—"

"Cloud thinks Sora's being abused by his father. Physically," Leon stated quickly. Zexion's face went blank and Leon sighed. "If you don't want to get involved in this, I'll understand, but—"

"No. I'll help. I'd _love_ to help," Zexion said truthfully. "What do you want me to do?"

"Wakka, Cid, Cloud and I arranged a scrimmage meet between our two teams for Wednesday, tomorrow. I want you to keep an eye on Sora…look for anything you might recognize. Cloud seems really worried about him, and even though he's not completely sure what's going on, abuse is a plausible possibility," Leon said softly. Zexion gave a grim smile.

"Of course I'll do it. I don't want Sora to turn out like…like...yeah," Zexion whispered.

"Nothing's wrong with you, Zex, you know that," Leon consoled as Zexion just shrugged. "You're a good kid, really."

"I still wonder if I deserved it, all of it. Or if I could have helped him instead of just standing there and taking it as it came. I know I could have done something for him! I mean—maybe it wasn't his fault…maybe it was _my_ fault…" Zexion choked out, running a hand through his hair before letting it fall back into his face. Leon wrapped an arm around him, squeezing his shoulder slightly.

"We've been over this before, Zex. It was _entirely_ his fault. It wasn't your fault at all. You couldn't have done anything for him; he was too addicted for _anyone_ to do anything. And you didn't deserve that. You deserved to be living in a quiet, kind, and loving home for the first sixteen years of your life. We've been over all this," Leon said. "I want you to _think_ about helping Cloud, Sora, and I with this. Don't rush into something if you're not sure you can handle it. I'll understand either way, and I know Cloud will too."

"But what about Sora? I _know_ him, Leon! He's this brilliant little kid that never stops smiling and is always happy; everyone loves him. But then I hear Riku talking about him breaking down at the party the other week, and what you just said makes sense. I don't want Sora to get hurt. I might not know him _that_ well, but I know him enough to know that he shouldn't have to deal with that kind of shit. I can't just say 'no, I won't help you because I'll start remembering what happened to me' when I know that Sora's getting beaten by his father! I can't do that!" Zexion cried indignantly, scowling.

"Just think about it, Zexion. Please. I don't care what your answer is as long as you're comfortable with it, whether it's a 'yes' or a 'no'. Just think on it," Leon asked, getting up and squeezing the teen's shoulder one last time before moving into the kitchen to figure something out for dinner. Zexion leaned further back into the couch, one hand playing with his hair. Leon was great, but he wasn't cut out for the sentimental part of making sure Zexion was okay. It got old hearing the same 'we've been over it' in the same firm tone day after day after day. With a sigh, Zexion got up from the couch, grabbed his backpack, and headed for his room to finish writing his paper for History. Leon watched him go with frustrated, stormy eyes. He knew that Zexion had already decided to help—something that he had expected—but he was still wondering if Zexion could handle working with another kid who was being abused, when it hadn't been that long since his father was locked up for beating him…

-------------------

A year and two months ago Zexion lived in the outskirts of Twilight Town in a small apartment with one bedroom, bathroom, a small kitchen and living room. Most of the furniture had been sold by his father for booze money, and the spaces where the couch or table had been when his mother was alive seemed horrifically empty to the fifteen-year-old. The decoration provided by his mother had slowly been stripped from the rooms as well in Ansem's fits of anger; pictures were scarce on the walls, but beer cans and an assortment of bottles littered the floors and overflowed the trash cans. The only room in the house without the littering of beverage containers was the walk-in closet that served as Zexion's room, fit with his mattress, dresser, a small desk, and no walking space. Buried under his mattress lay a plethora of pictures, some framed, some not. Most were of his mother, but there were a few of himself when he was younger and scar-free, and even fewer of himself with his parents...back when everything was happy and normal.

And it was at one of these pictures Zexion was looking at one year and two months ago, his hands shaking and tears rolling down his bruised face. _What happened here? Does dad do this because he...he's just too drunk to_know_what he's doing? Unemployment? Lack of something better to do? Because mom died saving my own fucking life? Or just because I'm _me_, and I don't matter anymore? _Zexion wondered, curling onto his side and gently holding his chest, the picture falling beside him. He could feel blood running down his hypersensitive back, red welts emerging from the bruised skin in the shape of the studs on Ansem's belt. _He knows what he's doing to me, and he doesn't give a shit that he was fired last month...He doesn't even know mom was hit by the car instead of me...So of course, he does it because it's _me,_and I'm fun to hit and bruise and scar...because my blood is red and that's all he wants to see anymore..._

_-------------------_

Wednesday practice turned out to be a surprise for the Destiny High track team, with exception to Sora and Roxas, who knew because Riku, Cloud, and Axel had mentioned it several times over the phone or in person, and Zexion. Sora and Riku had gotten together the day before after track for a training session, but the majority of their time had been spent discussing how to strategically race the eight-hundred.

Zexion sat next to Paine and Naminé, not paying attention to either of them, and instead focusing on Sora. He seemed…like a perky, but fairly normal high school kid. If it weren't for the fact that his left cheek was supporting a suspicious pink line, and it looked strangely less glossy than the rest of his face, that, and he was wearing a long-sleeve shirt as well as obviously trying to avoid as much contact, Zexion wouldn't have considered abuse. _But I should _have, he rebuked it. Searching for some way to get a little closer to the sophomore that wouldn't seem too out-of-character for him, Zexion found it in the form of Demyx who was now talking with Sora and Riku. Without giving a look to Paine, who was still trying to engage him in conversation, Zexion got up and slowly moved over to the small group Sora and Demyx were in. He placed a hand on Sora's right shoulder, squeezing it a bit past comfort, but not suspiciously hard, and gave a small smile to Demyx.

"Hey guys," He said softly.

"Hi Zexy!" Demyx said enthusiastically, giving the slightly shorter boy a hug and forcing him to remove his hand from Sora's shoulder. Still, it wasn't hard to feel the sharp and dramatic wince Sora pulled as soon as his hand touched the boy's shoulder. Through Demyx's rib-crushing hug, which Zexion didn't return, the quiet junior glanced down at the petite brunette, finding Sora clutching his right shoulder gently and slouched over a bit. _Sorry kid, but something's up with you_.

"Hi Demyx," Zexion said, finally paying attention to the blonde just after he had been released from the hug. "Uh…" There was a slight lag in conversation at that point, with Riku talking exclusively to Sora, and Demyx appearing to space out for a moment.

"Oh! You know what!? There was this whole thing last week, at the meet, and Cloud and Cid…" Demyx launched into a long stream of conversation, with Zexion standing in front of him with a calm, but pleased expression on his face.

Leon, with Cloud by his side, had watched the small exchange between Zexion and Sora, as well as noticed Sora's peculiar reaction. The two shared a glance before sighing simultaneously.

"Have you noticed anything?" Leon asked.

"His arms seem to bother him sometimes. I've seen Roxas grab his arm to bring him somewhere, and he always tries to wiggle out of Roxas's grasp. Clap him on the back and he'll wince pretty violently, especially if he's surprised. He's tired today. Something's wrong," Cloud commented slowly. Leon nodded and ran a hand through his hair.

"Let's just let Zexion work with him for now, before we've actually _seen_ anything."

"What do you mean, 'work with him'?" Cloud asked. Leon shrugged.

"Zexion said he'd try and talk to Sora about it," Leon answered. Cloud shook his head with a sigh.

"That might be a little forward, don't you think?"

"This isn't something you do the round-about way, Cloud. I think you know that. Don't worry about Zexion; he knows what he's doing, because he's been in Sora's place before. Don't forget that," Leon said with a smile, placing a hand on Cloud's shoulder. "Now, let's get these kids running."

---------------------

Zexion waited exactly half an hour before heading into the boy's locker room in Destiny High. Sora had gone in ten minutes ago, a pattern Zexion recognized easily from his time trying to hide the bruises bestowed on him. As he stripped his sweaty shirt off, Zexion could hear the shower running in the shower room around the corner: undoubtedly Sora. Grabbing his towel and wrapping it around his waist, the junior glanced at his torso in the mirror. It was no longer bruised or cut, but the scars were still there: ones on his back from a belt, a few nasty cuts on his stomach he had gotten as different glass objects were thrown at him...Sighing, Zexion tore his gaze away from the scars and the memories associated with them and rounded the corner to the showers. Sora's back was to him as he entered, keeping his footsteps quiet so he wouldn't startle the boy.

To his trained eye, Sora was obviously suffering from abuse: the small cuts on his back, the numerous bruises in various stages of healing…there really wasn't any other option.

"Hey, Sora," He called, his voice without cheer or even greeting. It was more of a statement, the kind of beginning of a sentence where people expected you to give them bad news. Sora visibly stiffened, the wiry muscles on his back tensing up, but he didn't turn around. Zexion didn't blame him, really. Instead of pressing the issue that seemed to be floating in the air between them, Zexion tossed his towel on a bench out of the way of the water stream, and turned on another showerhead. He could see Sora rinsing soap out of his hair hastily, apparently bent on leaving as soon as possible. "Finish your shower, and then we'll talk, okay?" Zexion said, the suggestion more of a statement then anything else. He saw Sora hesitate before nodding slightly. The smaller teen's hands moved less furiously through his hair and two minutes later Sora turned his water off, moving to grab his towel and wrap it around his arms and entire torso, effectively hiding all discolored skin from anyone save for the mark on his cheek and a few on his neck. With his legs curled underneath him and his hands peeking out from underneath the towel just about his collar bone, clutching the fabric to keep it wrapped tightly around him, the pose looked entirely innocent and child-like, something that the sentimental side of Zexion found cute.

After leisurely finishing his shower, Zexion finally turned to Sora and motioned him towards the 'dry room'—as the track teams called it.

"Let's talk while changing, hmm?" The junior suggested before walking around the corner, Sora following. Once Sora grabbed his clothes he immediately disappeared into a bathroom stall without uttering a word. He came out a few minutes later when Zexion was still looking through his bag for a clean shirt. The sophomore sat down timidly on a bench, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, his head down. A moment later Zexion shrugged on a slightly wrinkled, but clean, shirt and came to sit next to the brunette. He wasn't too surprised to find tear streaks running down Sora's cheeks, staining his jeans a deep blue for the time being.

"You—you won't tell anyone, will you?" Sora whispered into his kneecaps. Zexion didn't answer the question, not wanting to lie to this horribly vulnerable boy. "That's not a 'no', is it?" Sora asked.

"It depends on how you got like this," Zexion answered softly.

"You seem like you already know," Sora commented dully, not even bothering with coming up with some far-fetched excuse to why he was a mess of purple and blue skin. Zexion _did_seem like he already knew. Sora finally lifted his head and looked up at the older boy, his eyes wide and shining with tears. "You can't tell anyone! Please…you don't understand! You don't—you don't under—"

"Yes, I do," Zexion said quietly, but effectively cutting off Sora's frantic tirade. After a moment's debate, the junior grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, turning a bit to let Sora see his back. The younger teen let out a choked sob and turned his head away from Zexion entirely. "Sora…_who_?" Zexion asked simply, knowing that the brunette would understand the question clearly. There was a long, tense silence between the two until Sora's shoulders started shaking a bit harder, strangled sobs emitting from him.

"My—my d-dad. Oh god…don't tell…" Sora sobbed, his head still turned away from the junior sitting next to him.

"For how long?"

"I don't remember. S-since sixth grade, m-maybe," Sora choked out.

"How often?"

"Not that often. Just when things get bad at my father's business. Once a—once a month maybe." This time the answer came quickly and rather smoothly; Sora seemed to be calming down. The bruises were vicious enough to spell out pent-up anger, but Zexion still didn't believe Sora. If this only happened once a month then Cloud probably wouldn't have noticed or put two and two together by himself.

"That's a lie," Zexion stated. Suddenly Sora turned around, glaring through his tears.

"What the _hell_ do _you_ know? You don't know what's going on, you don't know when this happens; you don't know _anything_! So stop _questioning_me; I don't want to hear this!" Sora yelled, jumping off the bench and shoving his feet into his shoes. A moment later he had grabbed his backpack and was running out of the locker rooms. Zexion followed him to the door and watched the brunette run down the hallway, brushing tears off his cheeks.

Thirty seconds out of the locker room Sora rounded a corner and collided with someone, sending both of them crashing to the floor. Sora looked at the boy beside him in shock: Axel.

"Hey, Mini. What'cha doin' in here still? The rest of us are—" It was then that Axel noticed the un-covered bruise on Sora's cheek, and the redness around the boy's eyes. "Are you—" But suddenly Sora was on his feet, dashing away from the red head while yelling an apology over his shoulder. Axel sat up and turned around to find Zexion calmly walking around the same corner that Sora had just tore around. The junior's blue eyes swept the hall as if looking for someone before landing on Axel, who was still sitting on the ground.

"Oh, hi Axel," Zexion said dully.

"Nice to see you too," Axel muttered sarcastically, picking himself off the floor and shouldering his backpack.

"Have you seen Sora?"

"Yeah, collided with me about thirty seconds ago. He looked like he had been crying. What'd you do to him?" The redhead joked.

"Actually…" Zexion murmured, although Axel didn't detect guilt in his voice.

"What?! If Roxas finds out he'll kill you man! Run for you life, and your afterlife!" Axel exclaimed with a smirk on his face. "Wait, _you_ weren't the one who put that bruise on his cheek were you? Because—"

"_No_. I didn't _touch_ Sora. I was only asking him…Never mind. Let's just meet up with the others."

"What about Sora?"

"He won't be coming back. He's a little shaken up," Zexion commented. Axel's face morphed into a glare.

"Zex, what did you _say_ to him? Sora's too fucking _happy_ to get 'shaken up' like that." Zexion sighed and tugged on his bangs uncomfortably.

"It's between us, Axel. You don't want to get involved…trust me." With that, Zexion jogged past his friend and out of the building, aware of the brilliant green eyes that followed his back all the way to the door.

------------------

"Where's Sora?" Cloud asked Zexion as soon as he saw the blue-eyed junior. The boy just shrugged his shoulders.

"He's not here. I'd imagine he's somewhere in town where it's quiet, or comforting, or easy to think. Not at his house, though," Zexion answered after a moment's consideration. Cloud glared at him and gripped the younger boy's shoulders.

"What the hell did you do to him?" He snarled, his concern for Sora hidden by a mask of anger. Zexion seemed undeterred by the display.

"You wanted someone to find out just what the _actual_situation is. So I found out. Sora'll be fine in a bit—I didn't do anything that will hurt him in the long run." Cloud seemed to relax a bit as Leon came up to the two of them.

"Wakka just left with the freshman and all the kids who need to be home right after practice. There's a few kids hangin' around though, they can take the ferry back later." Leon turned to Zexion with an eyebrow raised. "So…what'd he tell you?" There was a heavy silence between them before Zexion opened his mouth.

"Don't touch his right shoulder, keep off his chest and back as much as possible, as well as his upper arms. Don't pull on his wrists or forearms either. And Cloud?" Zexion paused. "You might want to start checking in on Sora pretty regularly—at the Atari's house." With that, the tall boy with metallic-colored hair walked off to join his group of friends standing several yards away. Cloud crumpled to the ground, hanging his head.

"Fuck._Fuck_. I want Sora out of that house right now. And Roy Atari dead while I'm at it," He swore viciously. Leon dropped to his knees beside the blonde and squeezed his shoulder.

"This is where it gets complicated. If we tell the police, we've got a potential court trial or lawsuit, as well as a whole bunch of legal shit. If his mother's in on it, or arrested for some reason, Sora'll most likely be shipped off to foster care, if she's not, Sora would be given into her custody. If Roy's the only guilty one, he'll possibly be going to prison, and Sora and his mother would still live here. If Roy _doesn't_ go to prison for some reason, Sora and his mother would end up moving," Leon said, going over all the outcomes of this situation in his head. Cloud moaned.

"No one has time for legal shit right now, Leon. I don't know if I want to put Sora through that anyway. I'm not saying he should stay with Roy, but…is there any other way to get around the police and such? At least until our schedules clear up a bit?" Cloud asked. Leon sighed and started massaging the slightly younger man's shoulders, not really caring that Axel and Riku were giving them knowing looks.

"Well, Sora could temporarily stay with another family for a bit—or until track's over, and then we could turn Mr. Atari over to the cops. But we've got to tell him and his wife something to get Sora out of there, and to keep Sora on Destiny could get him hurt. I know that when Zexion's father found out I knew about the abuse Zexion ended up in the hospital. We don't want that for Sora." Cloud shuddered and shook his head.

"So what do you recommend, then? Tell Roy we know he's beating the shit out of his son and get Sora off the island for a month and a half until track ends? Or keep him at home and risk him getting hurt more? Or bring in the cops now?" Cloud asked. Leon took a moment to consider.

"I think that we should talk to Sora, actually. But I'd recommend getting Sora off the island until track's over, and _then_do something about Roy. But yes, Sora really needs to have a say in this."

"Don't you think he'll just deny it? Or try and stay with his family?"

"He won't deny it, not after admitting it to Zexion. But I suppose he could want to stay with his parents, just because he's confused."

"Sora's going to be so pissed off that we found out. I know it. Especially because we went through Zexion," Cloud commented putting his face in his hands. Leon let his hands stop their motion around Cloud's shoulders and let them slide along Cloud's arms.

"He'll appreciate it later. When Zexion found out I knew Ansem was abusing him, I honestly thought he was going to kill me…" Leon said, his voice light and joking. Cloud managed to crack a small smile just as Axel, Riku, Roxas, Zexion, Tifa, Kairi and Naminé walked over to the two of them.

"Cloud, are you alright?" Roxas asked, wondering why his brother was sitting on the ground, Leon practically holding him in his lap.

"I'm fine, guys. Do any of you know where Sora is?" Cloud asked in a weary voice. The six teenagers shook their heads.

"We were going to ask you. He didn't come back after showering," Roxas mentioned. Leon shrugged.

"He probably had something to do. He's allowed to go somewhere without a pack of _dogs_ on his heels, isn't he?" Leon said with a scowl. Only Zexion knew that he wasn't particularly angry. Still, the effect was rather instant, and the group of teens left the two older men alone, with exception to Zexion.

"I'm going to head to the docks and wait for the next ferry run. See you at home, Leon," He said before moving off.

"Zex, we're going to ask Sora what he wants to do now, is that too much?" Leon called softly after him. Zexion shrugged without turning to face them.

"Do what you want. Just don't let him stay with his father."

* * *

Something I forgot in my note above: I GOT SO MANY AMAZING REVIEWS FOR LAST CHAPTER! Close to fifty of them. I'm amazed. The reviews are coming at a nice time too; they're a whole bunch of one paragraph stress relievers for me. So thanks to all of you who were nice enough to review.

Review if you are so inclined; I'd love to hear from you!

Wykkyd


	18. You Can't Stay His

**A/N:**Sorry about the wait, everyone. Life is crazy right now. But in order to make up for it...here's a long-ish chapter full of drama—both good and bad. And as always, thanks so much to those of you who reviewed. Sorry to those I didn't get around to replying to; you're still appreciated!

Thanks to betas Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker!

* * *

**Track Season**

**You Can't Stay His**

"Zexion said that he had been talking to Sora and sort of freaked him out, I guess. At least that's what he told me when I saw him a little while ago," Axel said with a shrug. Riku and Roxas spun around.

"What?" Roxas asked.

"What did Zexion _say_?" Riku said with a scowl. Axel shrugged again.

"I don't know. It was really weird. Sora just came flying around this corner, smashed into me, got up when I asked him if he was okay—because he looked like he had been crying and had this nasty bruise on his cheek—and then Zexion came around the corner. He said that he had been talking with Sora and that I didn't want to 'get involved'," Axel said with a roll of his eyes.

"He was crying?"

"There was a bruise on his face?" Axel threw his hands in the air.

"For fuck's sake you guys, just go ask Zex, he's right over there!" Axel exclaimed, waving his arms in the direction of Zexion who appeared to be leaving the track. Roxas and Riku sprinted after him until Riku caught up and whirled Zexion around, his hands gripping the other boy's arms tightly as he glared.

"What the _fuck_ did you do to Sora?" He snarled, his eyes filled with anger. Roxas followed with a twin glare, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Let me go, Riku," Zexion requested, his voice tense as he stared at Riku's hands clenched around his arms. "I didn't do anything to him—"

"How about his _face_?" Roxas growled.

"I didn't give Sora that bruise, if that's what you're thinking. You'll have to ask him if you want the answer to that one. I was just talking with him; he'll be fine. Now let me _go_, Riku," Zexion repeated, wrenching his arms out of his friend's grip and turning his back. "And I don't know where the kid is, if you're wondering," He shot over his shoulder towards the two boys behind him.

--------------------

Demyx caught up with Zexion as the slender runner walked out of the school parking lot.

"Zexion!" The sprinter called, catching his friend's attention. Zexion turned and gave Demyx a small smile.

"Hi, Demyx," He said in his smooth tenor voice.

"Hey, are you okay? You seem quiet," Demyx asked, his voice calm and serious. Zexion shrugged, considering that as he tried to think about something else other than Sora's abuse…and his own. His conversation with Sora hadn't been something that was easy for him to do. Memories of himself crying when Leon confronted him were dragged out, memories of him running back to his house, choking on tears. His father had been there to greet him...and later that night Zexion ended up in this hospital. "Something's up, Zex, I can tell," Demyx tried again, causing Zexion to sigh. "Come on, let's go talk," Demyx suggested, leading Zexion through the streets in silence until they reached the docks. Zexion swung his legs over the railing, facing out into the bay with a far-away look in his eye and Demyx sat to his friend's right, straddling the railing. The two sat in silence for a moment before Zexion swiveled around to face Demyx.

"Sometimes I wish I still lived with my dad," The blue-eyed senior said quietly, turning his face into the wind to let his hair be blown out of his eyes. Demyx stayed silent, knowing that Zexion wasn't finished. "I mean, he wasn't the greatest dad or anything, but I loved him too much to care about that. I thought that I could help him, change him. I was wrong. I was horribly, disgustingly wrong," Zexion paused, and Demyx braced himself. "He started drinking again when mom died; I have good memories of her. But dad…well, I don't know. He used to be an alcoholic before he and mom married, and one of mom's rules was that there would be _no_ alcohol in the house. But when she died he'd bring home shit, you know? And he'd just sit there for hours…chugging. God Demyx, he'd get _so _drunk. And violent; violent too." Zexion paused to take a deep breath, letting his eyes close for a brief moment. Demyx hardly moved, barely even _breathed_. Zexion was telling him something special, something almost secret, and he didn't want to ruin the moment. "That was when I was fifteen, a sophomore at Twilight Town High. Dad would lose himself in his memories, in the alcohol, and then I would be there. And he'd always, always know m-me," Zexion said, his voice tight with emotion.

Demyx slid his hand down the railing to grasp Zexion's fingers, squeezing them in comfort and support. He smiled a bit when he felt Zexion shift his hand to fit into his own, giving the blonde-haired sprinter's hand a squeeze in return.

"It wasn't bad at first, so I just ignored it. He was depressed; mom had been his whole life. I still loved him because he was all I had left. And then it got worse…and worse…and I found it harder to feel that he was still sad about mom. It seemed more than that. Like he was angry, angry at—at me. It _hurt,_ Demyx, it hurt that my father had started to hate me. It _really_ hurt…Leon noticed I was acting differently; he figured it out. I'm glad he did…but I still think I love my dad. Is that horrible? To love someone even though they found it entertaining to smash your head into the wall?" Zexion said, his voice breaking as he squeezed his eyes, trying to hold in tears. His hand was gripping Demyx's so hard the knuckles were white. "He did, Demyx! Leon came and got me one night because I had called him. My head was bleeding…blood everywhere. I was scared…fucking _terrified_. Woke up in the hospital a day later. Two months later my dad was in jail and Leon got custody of me until I'm eighteen. It took me a while to realize that he saved my life that night. I would have bled to death. It's a little hard to think that my own dad would have killed me, I guess.

"I was only with my dad for a year while he was like that: drunk, angry, depressed…and then Leon came. But I'm different, Dem. I didn't used to be so quiet, so calm, so…I don't know, whatever I am now. I used to be more like Riku: happy, content…all that. I mean, everyone knows why I'm like this now, because it's hard to keep that kind of thing from everyone, and they all tried to help me through it. There are parts of the story they don't know, like how Leon saved my life that night...and they did help, more than they know, but some things are irreversible. It's just...weird that I got quiet _after _my dad was put in jail for child abuse, because even while I was living with him I was still optimistic, outgoing, and happy. Everything sinks in afterwards, it really does. Everything sinks in afterwards," Zexion finished in a whisper, tears trickling down his cheeks. Demyx used his free hand to gently brush them away and Zexion leaned into the touch, encouraging Demyx enough to slip his hand down to Zexion's neck, massaging gently. Demyx sighed.

"I guess it's a little late to say I'm sorry that happened to you, huh? You didn't deserve that," The blonde said softly. Zexion shrugged.

"Subconsciously, I know that. People tell me that a lot. But sometimes I think that maybe it was. That maybe the abuse was just my dad's way of calling out for help, like my way was talking to Leon. And what did I do to help him, Demyx? Got him sent to prison! Yeah, that's helping him a lot!" Zexion scoffed, glaring at the railing to his side.

"I don't know what to say, Zex. Anything I tell you I'm sure Leon's told you a million times…I just…I don't know what to say," Demyx said truthfully, staring at his friend with concerned eyes.

"Everything's different coming from you, Dem. Leon's not _you_, you're different," Zexion said, bringing his head up to look into Demyx's eyes. Demyx pushed himself closer to Zexion, the hand that was still resting on the older boy's neck reaching back up to Zexion's cheek to catch stray tears, as Demyx's other hand gave Zexion's fingers another squeeze before letting go and sliding around the junior's back.

"Zexion, you're perfect the way you are now. No matter what happened to you, what might happen to you in the future, you'll _always_ be perfect. Remember that," Demyx whispered into Zexion's ear, letting his lips brush the flesh lightly. Small bolts of electricity were shooting from his lips down his spine, through every bone in his body. Zexion's scent was filling his nose, the feel of his hair overloading the nerves on Demyx's cheek.

Before he actually realized it, lips were caressing his and Zexion's hands were threading through his hair, pulling his face closer. Shifting slightly to make their position less awkward, Demyx put a bit more into the kiss, his right hand holding the back of Zexion's head as his left traced patterns on Zexion's lower back, just above his pant line. Demyx felt Zexion run his tongue along his lower lip and he was barely able to contain the moan that was dying to escape his mouth.

A moment later Zexion pulled back, his breathing coming in short, quick bursts and his heart pounding with exhilaration. Demyx smiled, his eyes shining.

"I really need to go; homework," Zexion said quietly, resting his forehead against Demyx's for a brief moment. "Thank you, Demyx, I—"

"I know, Zex. It's no problem. Anytime you want to talk, I'm here. You can call me too, any time; eight nine nine, two four zero five," Demyx said, swinging his leg back over the rail so he could stand up. Zexion followed suit.

"Thanks, I'll call you sometime then," He mentioned gratefully. "I'll see you again soon, okay?" Demyx flashed his characteristic smile, his eyes lighting up.

"Of course, Zex. Really soon," He said, pulling Zexion in for tight hug before releasing him. "Good night."

"Thanks again, Dem. See ya," Zexion said, smiling at Demyx once more before turning his back and jogging to the ferry. Demyx shoved his hands in his pockets with a goofy grin on his face. _Zexion_had just kissed him…and it was _so _much better than he had dreamed.

As Demyx turned to leave the docks, heading for home, two girls jumped down from the railing on the other side of the dock. The redhead turned to the brunette next to her with a smile.

"That was cute. Those two are gonna be great together," Kairi commented. Selphie nodded, bouncing up and down slightly.

"We should call Rikku and Tifa, they'll absolutely _flip_!" She exclaimed. Kairi grinned, grabbing Selphie's hand casually and pulling her towards a smoothie shack just off the docks. When Selphie didn't continue gushing, Kairi looked over at her. Selphie looked back, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You know, Kai, I don't see why you won't let me tell everyone about us. I mean, look at Axel and Roxas, Riku and Sora—"

"Riku and Sora aren't going out," Kairi cut in quickly, growing uncomfortable. Selphie just rolled her eyes.

"_Yet,"_She pointed out. "And now Demyx and Zexion, and hell! Even _Leon and Cloud—_it's obvious they like each other. And _no one _cares! I don't see why_you _do, unless you're embarrassed about liking girls over boys," Selphie accused. Kairi took her hand out of Selphie's, crossing her arms and looking at the ground with a glare.

"Selphie, you _know _I don't care about...that. I...I just...I don't _know_, okay?!" She said. Selphie stayed silent. "I...I like you, Selph. You're amazing. But I don't know if I really want to be in an official relationship right now," Kairi looked up, "And it's not that I don't want to be in an official relationship with _you,_it's that I don't know if I want a relationship _at all_right now," Kairi finished with a shrug, slowly moving to a stop. Selphie halted beside her.

"I don't understand, Kairi. What _do_you want?" The brunette asked.

"I like things how they are between us now, that's what I'm saying," Kairi clarified. "I like things really casual, not official...whatever. How it is now." Selphie sighed, but then wrapped an arm around her friend and pulled her into a hug.

"Alright, Kairi. I can wait. When you're ready for an official relationship, just say the word, 'kay?" She said with a true smile. Kairi breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes shining with gratitude.

"Thanks, Selph. You're the best."

"Of course I am, and because I'm the best, I'm going to buy us smoothies now!" She said, throwing her serious expression away for an excited one. Kairi laughed, wriggling out of Selphie's arms and jogging with her to the smoothie shack.

-----------------

It took Sora ten minutes to sprint down the streets of Destiny Island and finally arrive at the beach. He took off his shoes and socks and then started jogging over the sand, heading to the cliffs that cut off this section of the beach. There was a small cave hidden in these cliffs, a place where Kairi, Roxas and him used to hang out when they were around six years old. Now, the other two had forgotten about it, but to Sora it was a safe haven from the world.

Once inside the shelter Sora chucked his backpack to the ground and pulled his track shorts out of it. After making sure no one was coming towards his cave, Sora changed into the shorts and left his jeans sprawled in the sand, with his shoes placed on top of the denim. He absently noted that it was almost six thirty according to his watch, which meant that the sun would be setting in about forty minutes. Perfect.

The beach was practically deserted, save for about five different couples who seemed to all be heading for their cars. Dinner hour meant that Destiny Island's inhabitants were packed comfortably away at home or in a restaurant somewhere in town. With a small breath of anticipation and excitement, Sora started running away from the cliffs to the edge of the water, letting his feet pound the hard sand just along the water-line, splashing his feet and shins with saltwater every time he made a new footprint in the sand. A warm, spring breeze blew against his face and hair, pushing air into his lungs at a rhythmic pace as his arms pumped at his sides. The familiar 'runner's high' was creeping up on him, shutting out the rest of world save for the sand and water underneath his feet and the breeze on his face. He felt the pain of twisting injured skin disappear soon after, until it was like he was seven years old again…running and laughing while being chased by his father who was smiling…his mother running after her family, clutching a large white hat to her head as she laughed with them…_What happened_? _What happened to my family_?

Sora's steps started to slow as darker thoughts began to invade his mind.

"_Track team, Sora…you finally get to put your legs to use…"_

"_Caroline…our business…it's…failing…"_

"_What are we going to do, Caroline?"_

"_Dammit Sora! Run!"_

_Smack._

"_Run."_

_Slap._

"_Run."_

_Smack._

"_Second-place son…"_

_Shut up dad…_Sora thought, pushing memories out of his head and picking up his pace.

"_You're not good enough…"_

"_Don't you want to be like me?"_

"_Run."_

_Smack._

"_Faster, Sora, you'll never be good enough."_

_Snap._

_Slap._

Sora halted, tears suddenly streaming down his face. Waves were lapping at his feet and ankles, orange light turning the ocean deep green. _Shut up dad…leave me alone. _

"Shut_up_, dad. I'm _already_ good enough. I'm going to _smash_ your precious records…I'm going to _prove_ I'm good enough…prove that I'm _more_ than good enough," Sora whispered fiercely to the setting sun, determination shining through his tears. The petite brunette blinked a few times to clear his vision then started running once more, falling into the familiar pattern of bare feet on sand…thud thud thud…thud…thud…thud thud…

He could still feel tears flowing down his cheeks, dried almost instantly by the wind, but there wasn't any logic behind them it seemed. Sora felt happy…carefree even…but tears were still raining from his eyes, bringing his vision out of focus. Half an hour later Sora let his feet slow, finally paying attention to the darkening skies and his location. A few hundred yards away were the brilliant lights of the ferry docks, illuminating the entire harbor and parking lot.

"Sora! SORA!" Sora squinted to see a silver-haired boy waving from the docks: Riku. With a smile on his face, Sora ran up the beach and climbed over boulders until he reached the dock, where Riku was standing. "Where the hell did you run off too? I almost beat Zexion into a pulp," Riku commented, placing his hand on Sora's cheek lightly, his eyes darkening with concern. "What happened to your face?" Sora shrugged.

"I was out late on Sunday night and some drunk kid punched me. It wasn't a big deal," Sora said lightly, thinking up a quick excuse. "I kept it covered up today, though...avoid questions and stuff". Riku scowled for a moment, but smiled a moment later and wrapped Sora in a loose hug.

"You're okay now, after your talk with Zex?" Riku checked. Sora nodded and gripped Riku's waist a bit tighter, burying his face in the crook of the junior's neck. "Sora, I've been meaning to ask you something…" Riku breathed softly. Sora waited expectantly, a small smile on his face and a happy gleam in his eyes. "I know we haven't exactly known each other for that long, but I was…I was wondering if you'd let me take you out…be my boyfriend…that kind of thing," Riku said in a quite, almost timid voice. Sora paused for a moment, a huge smile on his face as he looked up at the aquamarine-eyed boy holding him.

"I'd love to be, Riku!" Sora exclaimed, squeezing Riku tighter and laying his right cheek on the older boy's chest. Without much more to say, Riku just rested his chin on the top of Sora's head and stared out into the sunset. The bell rang on the dock, signaling that the ferry would be leaving in two minutes. Sora wriggled his way out of Riku's arms and smiled. "You gotta go, Riku."

"I know. Let's meet at the DIH track after practice tomorrow, to train?" Riku asked.

"Sounds great, I'll see you later," Sora said, grabbed hold of Riku's hand and squeezing it. Riku pulled Sora to him once more, this time crashing their lips together in a brief kiss. A moment later he pulled away, winked at Sora, and boarded the ferry. Sora stood and watched the boat leave with a blush on his face until he could see Riku sit down on one of the many seats, Axel, Tifa, and a few other kids next to him. With a sigh Sora walked back down onto the beach, looking into the distance and picking out his destination—almost forty-five minutes away. _Damn._

"Need a ride home…again?" A voice said, coming up behind Sora. The teen boy recognized the low, silky voice as Vincent's, the man he met a few days ago.

"Uh…when did you get here?" Sora asked. Vincent shrugged. He wasn't wearing his trench coat anymore, opting for black jeans—which were rolled up a bit—and a white, button-up shirt. The red cloth was still around his head, just as it was Sunday night.

"Just now. I was going to take a walk to the other side of the beach," Vincent said.

"That's where I'm going," Sora commented, figuring that the two of them would end up walking together, and not really minding. Vincent seemed like a cool guy, even if he was a little creepy sometimes.

"It's a long walk," Vincent said, as if he wasn't sure Sora wanted to go _all the way_ there. Now it was Sora's turn to shrug.

"I'm a runner. I ran from the cliffs to here, and now I'm walking back. It's not that big of a deal. Maybe three or four miles one way, at most," Sora guessed. Vincent nodded and started walking, heading for the hard sand near the water because he was wearing sneakers. Sora walked on the ocean side of Vincent so he could walk in the water a bit.

"So you run, then. With the track team at Destiny High?" Vincent asked, his hands now shoved in his pockets.

"Yeah."

"Cid Highwind being your coach, right?" Sora looked up at the black-haired man.

"You know him?" He asked. Vincent nodded.

"We're childhood friends. I grew up in a small town near Hollow Bastion and met him through our school's swim teams," Vincent replied.

"What was Cid like when he was a kid?" Sora asked, having a hard time picturing Cid any younger than he was now. Vincent seemed to find the question amusing.

"The same as he is now. Intense, hard-working, encouraging in his gruff way; competitive…all that. He was an odd kid, but then again, so was I. We were good friends."

"Are you still friends?" Sora wondered.

"'Course. We've grown apart a bit since junior high, but we still visit each other from time to time. It's always good to stay close to your friends, Sora. Remember that." Sora nodded, agreeing with the older man. Suddenly he remembered his father. Glancing down at the watch on his left wrist, he noticed the time: seven twenty. And he was suppose to have dinner done by six..._Oh my god. _Vincent followed the brunette's gaze with mild interest.

"Decided to get a watch after last time?" He joked, making Sora smile, although it was more forced than real.

"I just wasn't wearing it that night, that's all. You don't happen to have a cell phone on you? I left mine near the cliffs," Sora asked, wishing he had remembered to bring it along. Vincent nodded and brought a slim black phone from his pocket, handing it to Sora.

"Don't drop that, it's expensive," He warned as Sora dialed his home phone.

"Dad?" He asked into the receiver when the other line picked up. Although Sora was a good foot and a half away from him, Vincent could pick out yelling from whoever Sora was talking to, _loud_ yelling. "I'm sorry, I was out running." More yelling. "I promise I was, dad!" Silence. "I'm at the beach right now. No, this isn't my phone. It's…the ferry guy's," Sora lied. Vincent caught the boy's blue eyes and raised an eyebrow. Sora just shrugged. "Okay, dad. I'll be there as soon as I can." Vincent watched as the teen's face got a bit paler. "I understand. Sure. I'll be home soon. Yeah, we'll…talk." With a shaky hand, Sora silently handed the phone back to Vincent, his sky-blue eyes looking out over the water with a faraway look in his eyes that glinted of sadness. "Uh…I need to go. I'm going to have to run back because my dad needs me at home real quick. Thanks for letting me use your phone," Sora said, his voice a bit distant as if he was thinking of something else.

"Let's go back to my car. I can drive you to the cliffs and then take you home. That will be faster than you running the length of the beach," Vincent reasoned, now curious as to Sora's apparent fear of his father. It was apparent by the trembling of his hands, the color draining out of the boy's face, the way he spoke to his father, and the way he acted after talking with him. As a police detective, Vincent knew that Sora was afraid of his father. _I'll have to ask Cid about this kid_, Vincent thought briefly.

"No, you wanted to walk, I'll be fine. It'll take me less than thirty minutes if I push it, and then only five to get home. Don't worry about it," Sora said, moving to run off.

"I insist. Let's get you home, Sora, come on." There was finality in the man's voice that told Sora there was no arguing with him, and Sora followed Vincent as the two walked briskly back to the car that was parked near the docks. Fifteen minutes later, Sora had grabbed his stuff from the cave in the cliff and was seated back in Vincent's car, the two of them driving to Sora's house. Vincent seemed to remember exactly where Sora's house was, because he didn't ask for directions and took the shortest route to get there. "Well, here you go Sora, have a nice night," Vincent said, carefully watching the kid's reaction. Sora took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Yeah. You too." With that, the small boy shut the car door and walked up to his front door, carefully opening it. Vincent noticed that Sora looked into the house before going inside, and even then he treaded carefully as if he expected something to jump out at him. Suddenly the door snapped shut, but not before Vincent's sharp ears picked up a frightened cry. He drove off, going a few blocks before parking along the sidewalk and getting out of his car, grabbing his jacket and making sure he had a weapon on him in case he was walking into a dangerous situation.

Walking briskly, Vincent shoved his hands into his jacket pocket and kept his eyes focused on Sora's house. The blinds had been drawn—he was sure they hadn't been just a moment ago—but there were no shadows behind them that he could see, even though the lights were on. On quiet feet Vincent slipped into the shadows near the side of the house and crept up to a window. Just a bathroom, nothing… The next window looked in on the kitchen, and Vincent could see beyond it into something that resembled a dining room, and beyond that, the entranceway. All three sections of the house were vacant—no Sora, no people at all. No noise was coming from inside the house, and Vincent slowly backed away from it, blending in with the shadows in the manicured yard. _What the hell is going on in that house_? Vincent wondered as he walked back to his car, his right hand running over his gun, safely hidden in his jacket. Yes, he would have to remember to ask Cid about that kid—Sora.

----------------

Sora stepped into his house, his body tense and ears straining for a sound of his father.

"SORA!" Roy's voice carried from upstairs, making the small teen cry out in surprise before he snapped the door shut. He found his father upstairs in his room, chatting with his mother. From the doorway he could hear stress in their voices, and knew that the topic of conversation was the family's failing business. As he was backing up into the hall, his father whipped around making Sora yell in surprise.

"Where do you think you're going?" Roy snapped. Sora shrugged.

"To my room," He answered simply. In a flash his father was by his side, his son's wrists gripped tightly in his hands.

"Roy," Caroline started, "Let him go, we need to discuss this." Roy seemed to pause for a moment, in which Sora waited for a blow. But it never came. Instead, Roy released his wrists and shoved Sora out into the hall, slamming the door to the bedroom and leaving his son lying on the floor in the hall. Sora let his eyes close for a moment before opening them again and picking himself up, gently massaging his right wrist with his left hand as he walked to his own room. His right shoulder was throbbing again, the damaged tissue still not even_starting_ to heal. _How am I going to hide _this_ for two weeks, or until it's gone_? Sora asked himself, groaning when he remembered that Zexion already knew. _He's going to tell someone. And dad's gonna find out—and I might as well cut my legs off now_, Sora thought with a pained look. There was really only one thing to do: make sure Zexion didn't tell. Deciding to grab something to eat later, Sora pulled his cell phone out of his backpack that he had set outside his room and dialed Riku's number.

"_Sora? What's up?_" Riku answered.

"Riku, I need Zexion's phone number. Um…I think one of his shirts got mixed up in my stuff," Sora said.

"…_Sure,_" Riku replied, a bit suspicious of the situation. "_Eight nine two, six four five three.__ Is everything okay?" _Riku asked. Sora's voice sounded funny, as if he was concerned or frightened.

"Everything's fine, Riku! God, you're becoming Roxas," Sora said, letting a hint of laughter follow his light comment. He heard Riku exclaiming something on the other end of the line. "Sure, Riku. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Thanks for the number." Click. Sora dialed Zexion's number and pressed the cell phone to his ear, praying that Zexion would pick up.

"_Hello? This is Leon," _A man answered in a deep voice. _Leon_? Sora thought.

"Um…is…Zexion there?" He asked with a bit of hesitation. There was a pause, but Sora could still hear Leon breathing through the receiver, so he knew that the track coach hadn't put the phone down.

"_Is this Sora?"_ Leon asked._Oh shit._

"Yeah. I need to talk to Zexion." _Please just let me talk to Zexion…please don't know about—_

"_Zex isn't here right now, I can tell him you called,"_ Leon lied, glancing down the stairs to Zexion's room, where the junior was doing homework.

"N-no, that's fine," Sora stammered, his heart starting to pound. Something was telling him that Leon…knew.

"_Sora, are you alright? Is this about the abuse?" _Sora froze. He couldn't move. Leon _knew_._Oh shit_._"Sora, I need you to tell me that you're not hurt right now. If you don't tell me that you're okay, I'm sending someone over there right _now_,"_Leon said.

"No!" Sora shouted, finally finding his voice. "I'm fine. Really. Just please…_please_ don't tell anyone," Sora begged, desperate tears finding their way into his eyes.

"_I can't do that Sora. You can't stay there if you're being hurt,"_Leon said patiently, speaking to Sora as if the teen was a small child.

"It's not serious. Really," Sora said, his right hand that was holding the phone to his ear shaking. He wanted to hang up so badly, to cut this conversation off, pretend it never happened…but something made him keep talking, keep listening.

"_That's not what Zexion said, Sora_," Leon said calmly.

"It's NOT SERIOUS! It's just a few bruises! I'm FINE!" Sora screamed, a combination of panic and frustration mixing with his voice.

"_Sora—"_Leon started but then he heard a door open in Sora's room and a horrified gasp coming from the teen boy. There was silence for a second, and then a loud clatter: the phone had been dropped. Leon sat bolt upright on the couch as he faintly heard another man's voice through the receiver.

"_What the hell is going on in here, Sora? I'm _trying_to have a very important conversation with your mother!" _Someone yelled loudly. Leon heard a sharp smack and a quiet, fearful whimper of pain. _"Have some respect, Sora, for once in your miserable life," _The man continued. There was a muffled sound that Sora's cell phone didn't completely pick up followed by a cry.

"_Dad…stop…that hurts…please,"_ Sora gasped. Leon jumped off the couch, still holding the phone to his ear as he ran downstairs to Zexion's room.

"Zexion!" He yelled, careful to press his hand over the phone's speaker so his voice wasn't heard by Sora's father through Sora's phone. The junior opened the door to his room, his metallic-colored hair flashing in the light. "I need you to listen to this and tell me if something really serious happens. I need to get Cloud over there," Leon said quietly, his hand still over the cordless phone's receiver. Instantly recognizing the situation for what it was, Zexion grabbed the phone and put it against his ear, wincing as he heard cries coming through the connection. Leon turned around and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, his fingers dialing Cloud's number. After three rings the blonde man picked up.

"_Hel—"_

"Cloud, get your ass over to Sora's. Get him out of that fucking house_now!_" Leon said urgently. He heard Cloud hang up without another word and knew that the oldest Strife sibling would do just as Leon had asked. Turning back to his younger charge, Leon held his hand out for the phone, but Zexion shook his head.

"I'm fine, Leon. If anything happens to Sora—anything serious—I'll tell you, okay?"

"Are you sure?" Leon double-checked, not wanting this to trigger Zexion into depression. The junior in high school nodded, his brow furrowing as Sora's cries and screams echoed in his ears.

* * *

This chapter was surprising easy to write and build-up a bit, once I got around to doing it. I'm pretty happy with it, and I hope you guys are too.

I'd love to hear from some (or all) of you! Make my week!

Wykkyd


	19. Objection!

**A/N:** Sorry this took so long, guys. The cliffhanger at the ending of chapter 18 wasn't the nicest thing for me to do to you all. But...here is the next chapter, and I have to say, it's my favorite in the story so far.

I got a lot of really sweet comments from everyone, too. I tried to reply to most of them, but I'm sorry if I didn't get to you. Still, the number of comments blew me away! Close to fifty...You guys are absolutely brilliant and so supportive it knocks my socks off! 3

Bubble Master Califa came up with the idea for the court scene with Zexion in the chapter, and I'm telling you that because it's my favorite part in this chapter. Great idea, buddy! And credit for catching all my little mistakes goes to the lovely Riku-stalker. Thanks to the both of you!

* * *

**Track Season**

**Objection!**

Cloud groaned as the phone started ringing on the kitchen counter.

"One sec, Rox, I should get this. Keep working," Cloud instructed, glancing to his brother who was struggling over advanced algebra homework.

"Hel—" Cloud started, but a voice immediately broke through his.

"_Cloud, get your ass over to Sora's. Get him out of that fucking house_now_!"_Unmistakably Leon. His voice was clipped and full of tension, prompting Cloud to hang up and rush to the door to grab his keys, coat, and shoes.

"Roxas, go over to Kairi's, or Hayner's. Have them pick you up, and bring your homework. You need to get out of the house," Cloud said quickly, knowing that he would be bringing Sora back and that the brunette wouldn't want Roxas to know about any of this yet. Roxas looked at his brother, confusion spelled out on his face.

"Why? What's going on, Cloud?" Roxas asked.

"Nothing. Just go over to one of your friend's houses. _Call them_," Cloud commanded, pointing to the cordless phone that was lying on the counter.

"O—okaaaaay," Roxas said, slowly getting up and going over to the phone.

"I'll call you in a bit, Rox. Thanks," Cloud said just before he shut the front door and ran to his car. In a reckless fashion the blonde man pulled out into the rode and slammed his foot onto the gas pedal, passing over the speed limit in the quiet neighborhood by thirty miles per hour. Three minutes later he pulled into the Atari's driveway and sprinted up their front steps to pound on their door. There was no answer and after about ten seconds, Cloud swore.

"_Fuck_ it," He snarled in frustration, opening the door and stepping inside.

"Get the _fucking_ door if you want to be any help to this family at all!" Roy Atari yelled, his voice carrying from Sora's door. Cloud started to move towards the stairs but stopped as he saw Sora stumble out of the room, his head down. Roy followed him with a furious glint in his eye, and unaware of Cloud standing in the doorway, shoved his son down the stairs. Sora stumbled forward, his hands flying out to try and catch himself on the railing in vain. With a sharp cry, he collapsed rolling down the stairs, his blue eyes shut tightly in pain as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Cloud managed to catch Sora before the boy fell to the floor, but not before he saw the brunette's head collide with the edge of a stair and the boy's form go limp as he continued tumbling down the stairs. With Sora's bruised body in his arms, Cloud looked up to the man standing at the top of the staircase. There was a noticeable look of anger on Roy's face, but shock was there as well.

"Look—" Roy started, clearly at a loss for words and not willing to spill out an excuse when it would be futile.

"Shut the _fuck_ up, you bastard. You don't deserve a kid like Sora," Cloud growled, fury making his blue eyes blaze as he stood up with the unconscious teen in his arms. Without another word he turned to walk back to his car; he would deal with Roy later.

"It isn't always like that, Cloud. I don't know what I was thinking. I've never…done something like that before," Roy finally shouted, just before Cloud slammed the door. After he was out of Mr. Atari's line of sight, Cloud hurried to the car and drove off after gently placing Sora in the back seat.

Five minutes later Cloud had pulled into his own driveway and carried Sora into the house after checking to make sure Roxas was gone. The brunette was starting to come to by now, moaning softly on the couch as his eyes flickered open. Cloud left to get medical supplies from the bathroom and an icepack from the freezer. _Fucking bastard…I'm going to _kill_ him! _Cloud screamed mentally, going back into the living room to find Sora sitting up and looking around, fear in his eyes which had started leaking tears again. He jumped when Cloud cleared his throat lightly and placed a hand on Sora's shoulder. To the blonde's surprise, Sora jerked away and buried his face in one of the couch pillows, his shoulders trembling.

"Sora, come on, put this on your head," Cloud said softly, holding the ice pack out to the teen. Sora lifted his head and took the cold pack, pressing it gingerly to his upper forehead. "I need to make sure you're not seriously injured Sora, is that okay?" Cloud asked, not intending to take 'no' for an answer, but asking out of politeness. Sora gave a timid nod, sitting up and leaning against the back of the couch while letting his eyes shut. Cloud tugged on the bottom of Sora's shirt to remind him that it needed to be taken off. Sora's eyes flashed open with a frightened look.

"Please…no…" He whispered, his eyes filling with salt water once again. With a sigh, and not knowing what else to do, Cloud leaned forward and pulled Sora into a loose embrace. The teen instantly reacted, grabbing Cloud's shirt, the ice pack forgotten, and pulling himself into the older man's chest, sobbing. "Where's Roxas? Does he know?" Sora gasped in between sobs.

"He's at a friend's. He doesn't know. Only you, Leon, Zexion, and I know. We'll keep it a secret…if that's what you want," Cloud said, rubbing the teen's back lightly. Sora nodded his head.

"I…I don't want anyone else to know. What if they thought…what would Riku think?" The boy whispered hysterically, crying harder all of a sudden.

"They wouldn't think any less of you, Sora. _I_don't think any less of you, and Riku'll still consent to making out with you…Promise," Cloud joked, making Sora blush.

"I still don't want…want anyone to know. _Please_."

"Sora, unless you tell them yourself, _no one_ will find out. Come on, let's get you fixed up and then we'll talk a bit more," Cloud said, gently pulling away from Sora. The younger boy sat back a bit and after Cloud gave him a look, pulled off his shirt so the blonde could see what Roy had done to him.

Sora's back was a map of bruises and reddened skin. Many bruises were old, but there were more already forming on his skin from what had happened tonight. Small cuts seemed to have opened up amidst the vicious discoloration, there was a reddening mark on his cheekbone, and his eye was beginning to swell slightly.

"Does anything feel broken? How do your ribs feel?" Cloud called from the kitchen, where he was getting a cloth damp. Sora shrugged.

"My ribs aren't broken or anything. It's just my skin…and I think I pulled a muscle in my arm. My wrist bothers me a bit, too," Cloud nodded and sat down next to the teen, cloth in hand. He splashed a bit of antiseptic liquid on the small towel and gently pressed it to the cuts on Sora's back, starting the slow process of wiping off the blood and healing the injuries. Sora sat still throughout the process until Cloud asked him to turn around so he could look at Sora's stomach and chest. Thankfully his front torso was cut-free, although the bruises seemed to be worse, some darkening the skin to a sickening deep purple. Cloud analyzed the marks for a moment before standing up.

"Let's put you in an Epsom salt bath, that's going to be the only practical way to start healing your bruises. Holy _shit_, Sora," Cloud exclaimed remorsefully, lowering his voice as he saw Sora wince and shrink away from him. "You have such a fucked-up dad…"

"No, my dad's fine. He just gets frustrated, and he wants me to do well, and his business is failing," Sora's voice started to crack, "And he needs to motivate me more…and it's really all my fault. He's just doing the best he can for me," Sora said, openly crying again. Cloud helped Sora to his feet.

"No, Sora. It's not your fault. No matter what a kid does, his parents shouldn't hurt him because of it. Roy doesn't have any right to take his frustration out on you; never think he does," Cloud said firmly, wrapping an arm around Sora and ushering him to the bathroom. "Start running a bath, I'll grab some Epsom salt for you," Cloud told Sora as the younger boy moved into the bathroom with a nod. Cloud walked into the kitchen and looked under the sink, grabbing a bag of Epsom salt and starting to return to the bathroom. A sharp knock rang through the house at that moment, and Cloud set the bag down to answer the door. When he looked through the small window at the top of the door he recognized the blue uniform of a cop. With a mental groan Cloud opened the door to see two people: a woman, and behind her a tall man not in uniform. He recognized the woman—Destiny Islands was small—but the man was unfamiliar.

"Hi Cloud," The woman greeted, a smile on her face.

"Yuna," Cloud said with a nod of his head, his blue eyes resting on the man behind her.

"Vincent," The man spoke up, tossing his black hair out of his face.

"Cloud, Vincent reported seeing someone driving about twenty miles or so over the speed limit past here about fifteen minutes ago, with your license plate number on the car. That _is_ your car, correct?" Yuna asked, pointing to the green car in Cloud's driveway. The blonde man froze. He had a good excuse, and he knew he could get away without a ticket if he told the truth…but Sora had _said_…Just then, Sora called out to him from the bathroom.

"Cloud, where's that stuff?" He shouted, peeking around the bathroom door. Yuna recognized the voice.

"Oh, Sora's here?" She asked with a smile. That caught Vincent's attention.

"Sora? Petite, brown hair, blue eyes?" He asked. Cloud nodded with a bit of suspicion.

"How do you know Sora?" He asked, only to be interrupted by Sora calling to him again. This time Vincent's eyes were able to catch the bruise on Sora's cheekbone as he looked past Cloud's shoulder. _I can swear that wasn't there before…and why the hell is he over here? I dropped him off just half an hour ago at his own house,_ Vincent thought, glancing to Cloud.

"One sec, guys. Let me get Sora situated real quick." Cloud left the door open a bit and moved back into the house, quickly grabbing the Epsom salt and knocking on the door to the bathroom. Sora opened it, naked save for a blue towel wrapped around his waist. Cloud grimaced at the visible injuries as he held the bag out to Sora. "Put about one cup of this into the bathwater and mix it around until it's dissolved. There's a measuring cup in there. I'll come get you when you can get out." Sora nodded, taking the salt and closing the door. With a sigh, Cloud rested his forehead upon it. _How did I not see this? God, _he thought. He knew this wasn't his fault necessarily, but he couldn't help feeling like shit about the whole ordeal. _And now…back to the cops…Brilliant,_ he said mentally with a roll of his eyes. He opened the front door and stepped outside, closing the door behind him. The two cops—or maybe Vincent wasn't a cop—gave him an odd look. He sighed. "So, what kind of fine am I looking at?" He asked, shooting a glance to his car. Yuna glanced at the clipboard in her left hand.

"One hundred, for speeding in a neighborhood. And the mark on your record," The woman responded, looking at Cloud with a critical eye. He sighed again, running a hand through his hair and leaning against the door behind him. "Do you want to say anything in your defense Cloud?" Yuna asked gently. _This is it, _Cloud thought, D_o I tell them, off the record, and then hope _they_ don't tell?_ He didn't want to hand over one hundred dollars if he could help it, and the mark on his record would have worse consequences. He couldn't afford it in the long run.

"Yeah. I do," Cloud whispered, his eyes on the ground. "Yuna, this is complicated. I can't tell you this on the record, and I'm breaking my promise to Sora either way. But I can't afford to be charged for reckless driving or speeding."

"Off the record?" Vincent affirmed. Cloud nodded.

"Please, Yuna. This can't be reported. If you can't let it go, then I'll take the fine, but this…it's hard. And complicated," Cloud said, trying to stay in control.

"Alright, Cloud. I'm not supposed to do this, but for you…I'll make an exception. Explain." Cloud took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his eyes flicking up to Vincent's for a moment before he started speaking.

"Sora called a friend of his earlier this evening, and somehow this friend ended up overhearing when Roy Atari entered Sora's room. Yuna, Roy's been abusing Sora for quite a while now…and…and this friend was worried Sora would be seriously hurt tonight. He called me—because he lives in Twilight Town—and I went over there. He sounded really worried, and I knew I had to get there as fast as I could. I'm sorry I was speeding, but I can't say I regret it. I got to Sora's as his father pushed him down the stairs, knocking him unconscious. I got him out of the house, obviously, and brought him home. He's taking an Epsom salt bath right now. He's not seriously injured, but I think he's got a sprained wrist," Cloud paused. "Well?" He asked after a moment. He heard two sighs from his audience.

"I suspected something was up with that kid," Vincent murmured. Cloud looked at him sharply.

"And you didn't _say_ anything?" He snapped. Vincent shook his head.

"No. I couldn't. Listen, I met Sora last Sunday when I found him in the park looking like a few kids had jumped him. He was really banged up, but nothing beyond bruises or a cut or two, I'm pretty sure. I dropped him off at his house that night. Then today I saw him running on the beach, and we were walking together when he asked for my phone to call someone. He sounded…worried, I suppose, on the phone. Lot's of promising and apologizing; that kind of thing. Then he said that he needed to get home really quick, and that he was just going to run the way back. I offered to take him home again. He was tense in the car and extremely cautious as he went into his house. I found his behavior suspicious enough to want to check out the situation—I'm a police detective over in Hallow Bastion. I couldn't see anything going on in their house, so I finally just went back to my car. A few minutes later I saw you rush by and reported you," Vincent said, the last sentence stated without any hint of apology. Cloud nodded and looked to Yuna, who seemed a bit pale.

"I don't believe it—no, no, I _do_, its just…Sora…I mean," She said, clearly stunned. Cloud put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know."

"It's illegal _not_ to report this, Cloud, you know that?" Vincent asked. Cloud nodded.

"I want to wait until the track season's over before doing something about it legally. I can't put that kind of stress on him right now, I just can't. You know how important running is to him, Yuna," Cloud pleaded. Yuna nodded with a sigh.

"I understand, really. But I won't allow Sora to go back to his house…at least if his father's there," Yuna stated firmly.

"I know. I was thinking that Sora could either stay with me for a while or go to one of his friend's houses in Twilight Town. I'm sure they wouldn't mind at all," Cloud said, agreeing with his old friend. "So…am I gonna to have to take the ticket, or…?" Cloud prompted. There was silence for a minute while Yuna considered.

"You wouldn't want me to say anything to the authorities about Sora, I presume?" Cloud nodded. "Alright. I could get fired for this, if I'm caught, but I understand where you're coming from, Cloud, and I know you'll do whatever you can to help Sora. I'll call in and say the 'reckless driver' was a false alarm and sweep it under the rug. I'll walk away from this with my hands above my head," Yuna promised. Vincent agreed and Cloud nodded thankfully.

"Thank you so much, should I tell Sora you two said 'hi'?"

"Sure, Cloud. It was nice to meet you," Vincent said, shaking Cloud's hand and stepping off the porch to return to his car, which was a few blocks towards Sora's house. Yuna stayed behind for a moment to put a hand on Cloud's shoulder.

"Are you alright, Cloud?" She asked, sympathy shining in her eyes. Cloud ran a hand through his hair for the second time that evening. He shrugged.

"I'm fine. I'm just worried about Sora—I think he's all right, but it's hard to tell—and I'm so angry with Roy. I mean…who could_do_ that to Sora? He's such a…perfect kid," Cloud said, his head hanging. "And I can't believe I didn't _see_ this! Sora's _always_ hanging out over here, and I see him at track, and…and I should have _noticed_!" Yuna closed her eyes briefly and enveloped her friend into a comforting hug.

"Don't blame yourself, Cloud. It's not your fault. Everything will work out, but let's take things one step at a time, all right?" She consoled. Cloud nodded and released her from the embrace.

"Thanks, Yuna. I should go check on Sora."

"Yeah, I gotta get back to my patrol. If you ever need to talk just drop by, okay? I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more of you around anyway," Yuna offered with a smile as she waved to the blonde and walked back to the patrol car parked along the sidewalk. Cloud waited a few moments before going back into the house. He knocked lightly on the bathroom door.

"Hey Sora, I'm going to make something to eat, are you hungry?" The oldest Strife brother asked.

"Sure," Sora said, his voice a bit muffled by the door. Cloud moved into the kitchen and started pulling out food for a stir-fry. _What now, Cloud?_ He asked himself as he poured oil into a pan and turned the burner on. He needed to call Roxas…but Sora was here…and the bruises on his face were obvious to even the most unobservant of people. Roxas would definitely notice. He felt bad about kicking his brother out of the house for the night, but he didn't know what else to do…_Wait, what about Leon? Or that Riku kid? _Cloud thought, now chopping chicken into little strips. He grabbed the cordless phone and dialed Leon's number, knowing that the brunette would want to know what was going on by now. Zexion answered the phone.

"Oh, hi, is Leon there?" Cloud asked.

"_How's Sora?"_ Zexion asked, concern in his voice that surprised Cloud.

"He's alright. Just a bit bruised. I need to talk to—"

"_Yeah, yeah, here he is,"_ Zexion answered, handing the phone off.

"_Cloud? Is Sora alright?"_ Leon asked. Cloud smiled a bit before answering.

"He's just a bit bruised. I think it's going to be worse later tonight or tomorrow, because quite a few of the bruises haven't shown up yet. He said he pulled a muscle in his arm, and his wrist is bothering him—I think I might put Roxas's old brace on it. Listen, I can't kick Roxas out of the house, and Sora doesn't want him to find out. Would you take Sora, just until I can figure something else out? I know it's a lot to ask, but—"

"_Cloud, calm down. It's fine. I'd by okay with taking him for a while, but I think he's going to want to be in the hands of someone he really knows and trusts. What about Riku Hukia? He's that silver-haired kid on my team,"_ Leon suggested.

"I think…I think that might work. Should I call him, then?"

"_Talk to Sora first, and then call him. Sora's got his number, I think."_

"I wouldn't be sending Sora off to some…random kid who's going to hurt him, right?" Cloud checked, even though he knew his question was ridiculous. He heard Leon laugh.

"_Cloud, stop worrying. Riku adores Sora; Zexion's been complaining about how he won't shut up about Sora for the last week or two. He'll be in good hands with Riku,"_ Leon reassured.

"Thanks, Leon. I'll see you later, my dinner's burning," Cloud said quickly. Leon chuckled.

"_Bye, Cloud."_

Cloud hung up and set the phone down, hurrying to mix up the chicken a bit.

"Sora! You can get out of that bath now; do you want me to grab some of Roxas's clothes for you?" Cloud called, turning the stove off.

"Yeah, thanks!" Sora called back. The older man jogged upstairs to Roxas's room, quickly rummaging through the mess of _stuff_ to find a clean pair of flannel pajama pants and a loose shirt. He made sure it was long-sleeved for Sora's peace of mind. Cloud grabbed a clean pair of boxers from Roxas's dresser and tramped back downstairs, opening the door to the bathroom and tossing the clothes to Sora.

"Dinner's done when you're ready," Cloud called, going back into the kitchen to serve up two plates. A few minutes later Sora appeared in the kitchen, sitting down at the counter on a tall stool. Cloud slid him a plate of food with a fork on it and grabbed a Sprite from the refrigerator. He figured that he could make an exception to his milk-or-water-for-Sora-and-Roxas-at-dinner-so-they-don't-start-bouncing-off-walls rule in this situation, and was rewarded with a happy smile. "So…Sora. We have a few options now considering your…situation," Cloud started, watching as Sora tensed at the change of topic. "You could always stay here with me and Rox, but he's going to notice something, you know. Not that I don't think you should tell him, but you should do it when you're ready. Another option is to stay with Leon; you know, the assistant coach in Twilight Town, and Zexion, 'cause he lives with Leon. They already know about your father's…_tendencies_," Cloud said, speaking the word with bitter intent, "So that wouldn't be a problem. But we all thought that you might want to stay with someone you know a bit better." Sora nodded, picking at his food and chewing slowly. "And your third option is to stay with Riku." Sora raised his head, a small smile on his face at the mention of his new boyfriend. "Of course, if you insist, you could stay at your own home…but we'd have to work something out as far as making sure you're going to be safe. I think everyone would prefer it if you didn't go back until we've sorted everything out."

"What do you mean, 'sort everything out'?" Sora asked.

"Sora…we need to charge your father with child abuse." Sora flinched. "But I think it's going to be best if we wait until after track season's over before we press charges on your father. Unless, of course, you'd prefer to do it now." Sora shook his head quickly.

"No, no, no, no. Later's fine. _Very_ fine. Perfect!" He said firmly, his eyes wide and prying into Cloud's similarly colored ones. Cloud nodded in understanding.

"If you'd like to spend the night here and think about where you'd like to go until track's over, that's fine. I'll have to call Roxas though, unless you'd like to tell him," Cloud mused.

"Cloud, I'd love to stay with you…but I really don't want to tell Roxas right now. I'm not…I just…I don't want him to know right now." Cloud raised his eyebrow. "I'll tell him sometime, Cloud, but not tonight. Please," Sora said.

"It's up to you kid, as long as you _do_ tell him at some point. He'll kill me if he finds out somehow that_I_ knew about it and he didn't," Cloud chuckled. Sora couldn't help but smile as well.

"I'll tell him. Promise. And as for where I'd like to stay for a while…well, could I stay a few weeks with Riku, until track's over, maybe? Would that be okay?" Sora asked, his voice a bit shy and timid suddenly, as if he was expecting a sharp refusal. Cloud smiled.

"That'd be fine. We can call Riku in the morning—"

"No, I don't want to kick Rox out of his own house just 'cause I'm too stupid to tell—"

"Don't call yourself stupid. _Don't_," Cloud commanded sharply. Sora didn't seem to hear him.

"I can call Riku now; I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I come over there," Sora reasoned. Cloud looked at him, chewing on a piece of broccoli thoughtfully.

"You don't have to worry about kicking Rox out of here for the night, you know. You _can_ stay," Cloud assured. Sora looked down.

"Cloud, I'm sorry…I just…I really want to get out of town. I…my dad…he's really mad…and I…I'm scared, Cloud, I really am," Sora said, his breathing quickening as his chest rose and fell in quick motions. Cloud stood up and moved around the counter to hug Sora, simultaneously giving him the phone.

"Don't worry about your dad. Forget him. I understand if you want to go to Riku's tonight. You call him, and I'll grab you a few changes of clothes from Roxas's room to take with you. I can drop by your house later this week and pick up some clothes of yours and get them to you." Sora wrapped his arms around Cloud's shoulders.

"Thank you so much, Cloud," He whispered, a tear sliding down his cheek and dripping onto Cloud's shirt.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner, Sora. I really am," Cloud said softly, stepping out of the embrace to go upstairs to Roxas's room and leave Sora alone to call Riku. With trembling hands, Sora dialed the familiar number, waiting with quick and nervous breaths for his boyfriend to pick up. _I'm going to have to tell him, _Sora thought fearfully.

"_Hello?"_ Riku asked. Sora took a breath.

"Hi, Riku," He said softly, his voice screaming fear and stress.

"_Oh, hi Sora. What's up?"_ Riku asked, a bit concerned by Sora's tone of voice. There was another pause. "_Sora?_" Riku asked.

"Riku, I…can I come spend the night? Please? I can…I can explain when I get there, but I really need to come over. Please?" Sora asked, his voice wavering a bit.

"_Are you okay? Whose phone are you calling from? I don't recognize the number,"_ Riku asked.

"I'm at Roxas's house, but he's not here right now. Can I come over, Riku?" Sora requested.

"_I'll meet you at the Twilight Town dock, okay? Or do you want me to come pick you up?"_ Riku offered instantly.

"No, don't worry about it. I'll see you soon, I'll probably be leaving Roxas's in a few minutes," Sora said, thankful that Riku hadn't pressed him for answers yet.

"_Okay, Sora, see you in a bit, then,"_ Riku said.

The silver-haired boy put the phone down, a puzzled expression on his face. _What the fuck is Sora going on about? _He wondered, worried about Sora's frightened voice. He was still wracking his brain for what Sora might have been talking about as he left his home to pick Sora up at the docks.

-------------------

Leon and Zexion were seated around their small dinner table, both lost in thought. The day had been a rather eventful one, with Sora admitting his abuse to Zexion, and then Cloud and Leon talking it over at track, and then Sora's phone call...and that bastard Roy. Propping his head up on a fist, Zexion thought back to when he met Sora in the locker rooms.

It was odd to see another child look so...like him, and yet...not. He had never actually seen his facial expression while admitting to Leon that his dad beat him of course, but he imagined it must have been the _exact same _as Sora's this afternoon. The brunette was so...terrified, yet sad, and angry as well. A harsh mix of emotions for someone so willing to put a smile on and laugh about anything. Zexion couldn't help it, he admired Sora's acting ability, was almost jealous of it. The small boy had managed to hide his state from everyone for _years_without anyone even_suspecting _anything, while he had only managed to keep it a secret for one year.

Realizing what his thoughts insinuated, Zexion let out a sharp exhale and let his fist drop with a bang to the table. Leon looked up at him sharply but then let his gaze fall back to the empty plate in front of him. Zexion continued staring at the man who had saved him from his father, although his eyes weren't really seeing anything. Sora's lost face was swimming in his mind, tears falling from his blue eyes, bruises showing on pale skin...

Zexion wished he could see him, go over to Riku's and just talk. But Sora was probably a wreck right now, and wouldn't want anyone but his fucking boyfriend there. _God, what am I thinking? _Zexion wondered. _It's not like I care that he's in love with Riku...I mean...I have Demyx...kinda._There was a hole in his chest that was starting to hurt for Sora, and Zexion had this idea that once he could see the brunette safe and sound that hole would re-patch as it had one year ago when his own father was locked up. He just wanted to _see_him...make sure that he was okay..._Of course he's not okay! _

_---_

_The courtroom was relatively empty save for the two lawyers, the jury and judge, his father, Leon, himself, a few witnesses from the hospital, and a handful of people who came to 'support' him. None of his friends were there...they still didn't know about all of this. His father was sitting in the witness chair, drawling on about his wife with a smirk on his face._

"After she died...Zex was different. It's been a hard few months for him, and I try to help him as much as I can but it's...difficult. Therapy doesn't work, he hardly talks..." _Zexion turned with wide eyes to the jury and saw sympathetic nods coming from them directed at his father. _

"There have been whispers of alcohol abuse, Mr. Mikomi," _The lawyer continued. Zexion's father smiled, although it was forced._

"I drink, I will not deny it. Melanie's death has not only affected Zexion," _The man pointed out. "_She was my life,"_He paused, "_But I never let myself drink too much. I can't afford to get addicted and I need to be a good father to Zex, especially now." _Zexion was ready to run screaming out of the room...or run screaming to his father and punch him in the face. He was shaking, his lungs hardly functioning, choked gasps leaving his mouth as he struggled to be calm. Leon placed a hand on his arm, gently squeezing._

"Calm down, kid. Calm down. We'll be fine," _Leon whispered softly. _

"The jury believes him," _Zexion pointed out. Leon shrugged, not worried at all._

"You can deliver a much better presentation—without even trying," _He said. Zexion was almost calm when his father's lawyer—he couldn't remember the name—turned around, staring right at him._

"I call Zexion Mikomi to the stand." _His voice seemed to echo, and Zexion found his body standing up and walking to the chair without any conference with his brain. He sat on the edge of the seat, back straight, his hands clamped together and nails digging into his flesh. The lawyer gave him a cold smile. "_You are my client's son, yes?" Duh, _Zexion thought. _It's fuckin' obvious. _He nodded. "_And you say that he drinks—enough to lose control of himself?" _Again, Zexion nodded, not trusting his dry mouth to form words. "_And you have told us that on the fifth of this month your father attacked you, while under the influence?" _Nod._"Did he hurt you?" Uh...yeah, _Zexion thought, staring incredulously. He nodded. "_Describe your injuries," _The lawyer demanded. Zexion swallowed. _

"Um...I...He..."_His hands were shaking now and he dug his nails in harder to try and make them still, "_There was a beer bottle...he...hit me on the head...and I...passed out,"_He answered._

"That's all?" _Every word Zexion spoke felt like treason...this was his _father_he was talking about. His words were meant to get that man into jail. _This is wrong_! But Leon was staring at him, his face stony. Zexion saw the young man look to his father sitting on the front bench, and Leon's eyes turned to fire, his face angry enough to make Zexion's eyes widen. He needed to do this. He needed his father to go to jail—and he would think about whether it was right or wrong later. He looked back to the impatient lawyer, setting his face in a blank mask and forcing his fear back._

"_No._My father had been drinking that night, because he _always_drinks at night, and then he comes after me. I was doing my homework, and he just throws me out of the chair and onto the floor. He fractured, no, _re-fractured_two ribs; almost broke my wrist! My back is a mess of cuts and scars from broken bottles and his belt! My head was bleeding last night...there was blood_everywhere:_ I would not have lived if Leon over there had not come for me! I would not even _be _here!"

"Calm down, Mr. Mikomi—" _The lawyer requested, looking flustered. Zexion caught a smile flickering over Leon's face. _

"_No._Do you want to see the scar? I mean, fuck, all I have to do is take my hat off and there's this huge shaved spot on my head with a gazillion stitches holding my scalp together!"

"That's alright, Mr. Mikomi. You may keep your hat on,_" The lawyer said firmly. With those words Zexion fell silent, falling into himself and physically hunching his shoulders as if trying to hide._

"Actually, I believe it would be beneficial for the jury to see the evidence,"_The judge suggested. _

"Objection!"_Zexion's father's lawyer cried. "_They have already seen it, the slide show was viewed twenty minutes ago!"

"Things are always much more believable outside of a picture. Mr. Mikomi, if you would please remove your hat and show the jury. Technically I'm not supposed to let hats be worn in this room anyway, so this would kill two birds with one stone," _The judge said kindly, smiling down at the thin boy. With shaking hands Zexion carefully removed his hat, keeping it from brushing his injury. Slowly he stood and faced the jury before turning around, the back of his head half-shaved and supporting a vicious wound. Tears began falling from his eyes as he saw his father staring at him, betrayal written all over his face. _

-----------------

Sora looked like a wet and very lost puppy standing at the dock as Riku caught sight of him. His arms were wrapped around his middle, a sweatshirt that must have been Cloud's covering his torso and part of his legs. Flannel pajama pants were fluttering around his legs, blown about by the slight breeze coming off the water. Cloud was standing over him, one muscled arm wrapped around the younger boy's small shoulders. When Cloud saw Riku watching the scene, he whispered something to Sora and moved toward Riku. He dropped a backpack filled with something into Riku's hands.

"Call me later tonight, Riku. My number's on a piece of paper in the backpack. Sometime when Sora's asleep, though, and won't be able to hear us talking, alright?" Cloud demanded, not waiting for an answer before calling Sora over to the two of them. Riku noticed that there was a large bruise on Sora's face and that his newfound boyfriend refused to look him in the eye. "Take care of him, Riku," Cloud said, his voice laced with a slight threat. Riku's eyebrows rose as he gave Sora a quick hug and nodded to Cloud.

"Sure. See ya later."

"Let's go, Riku. Thank you, Cloud. Thank you so much," Sora said, his large eyes shining up at the blonde man, who only nodded.

"Anytime kiddo, I'll stop by with your things in a few days." With that, Riku slung an arm around Sora, pulling their bodies close, and walked him to his car. The silver-haired boy unlocked it, gently pushing Sora into the passenger's seat and moving to the driver's seat, throwing the backpack into the back and turning the car on. He glanced at Sora who was curled against the door, trembling, but Riku stayed silent. This didn't seem the time for questions.

-----------------

Cloud's fingers hovered over the key on his cell phone. He was itching to see Leon…_It's late. He's not going to want to see me…Fuck it…_9 speed dial.

"_Hello?"_

"Leon…I'm coming over," Cloud said, wishing his voice would stop trembling.

"_Sure,"_ Leon said. Cloud breathed a sigh of relief and started walking towards the ferry booth to get a cab.

-----------------

"Cloud's coming over," Leon said as he put the phone down. Zexion looked up, one eyebrow raised and his lips turned up in a smirk.

"Should I go to my room?" He asked, an amused undertone in his voice. Leon smiled a bit and shrugged, his deep blue eyes still looking at the teenager at the kitchen table. Zexion sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm fine," He whispered, feeling Leon's heavy gaze on him.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I'd like to see him sometime this week, though. Sora, I mean. Riku's great…but he won't understand. No one ever..._really_does…" Zexion trailed off.

"Yeah, you're not okay," Leon commented, his voice firm as he read Zexion's expression.

"Look, Leon. I'm completely fine! I'm not thinking about me, I'm thinking about Sora. You can't just expect me to forget what happened to me and never think about it again. Sure I think about it, but I'm past it. I'm fine, just worried about Sora," Zexion exclaimed, raising his eyes to meet his guardian's stare. Leon nodded.

"Alright," He said. "I'm going to get some coffee."

"Going to be a long night?" Zexion said with a smirk. Leon rolled his eyes and turned his back to the teen.


	20. What Was Going Through Your Head

A/N: Yay! I'm getting these chapters out faster! I'm proud of myself (and of course, Riku-stalker and Bubble Master Califa). Thanks to all of those who reviewed, as always! And thanks to my betas, BMC and Riku-stalker!

**Track Season**

**What Was Going Through Your Head...**

* * *

Something was very, very wrong. Riku could tell. He knew that something was up as soon as Sora called him, pleading to come over to his house tonight in a trembling voice. And now Sora sat dejectedly in the passenger seat, his hair a bit damp and not quite as unruly as it normally was and the sweatshirt so large it seemed to be eating him. Biting his lip, he waited until he had pulled into his driveway and led Sora into the house before opening his mouth. Sora was sitting lightly on the couch, his hands at his sides and his eyes staring at his feet, the toes curled under. Riku sat down next to him and pulled the smaller boy close to him, instantly realizing that Sora was shaking.

"Sora, what's going on?" Riku asked, concern in his voice as he wrapped strong arms around Sora's trembling figure. The brunette's only response was to whimper softly and cling tightly to Riku's shirt, burying his face in the crook of the junior's neck. "Sora, this is freaking me out, please, just tell me what's going on," Riku asked, his voice cracking with worry. When Sora began sobbing Riku pushed him back a bit, just enough to look into the over-bright blue eyes. "Sora, _please…_" He pleaded. Sora sniffed and then there was silence. Finally Sora sighed.

"Riku…I might need to stay longer than one night," The brunette began.

"Fine," Riku said automatically, waiting for Sora to continue.

"I…I can't stay at my house for a few weeks, or until t-track's over, I g-guess," Sora said, his voice carrying tremors. "Cloud's afraid…_I'm _afraid that…that my d-dad…that h-he'll…"

And Riku knew. Goosebumps rose on his arms as he subconsciously held Sora closer to him. Flashes of Roy Atari and that first track meet flew threw his head, the screaming at his son, the way he just _threw_ Sora to the ground…He should have seen it sooner. He should have fucking _known_.

"…That he'll hurt you?" Riku asked hesitantly, even though he knew the answer.

"_Yes_." The voice was so soft Riku wondered if he had imagined it, his own conscience whispering it to him. But no…it was definitely Sora.

"Why, Sora? Why didn't you tell someone?" Riku said, hating that his vision was becoming blurry as his eyes filled with tears. _He needs someone. Might as well be you._

"Dad s-said he'd…he'd h-hurt my l-legs," Sora sobbed, curling into Riku's chest even more, prompting the older teen to place his chin on Sora's head. "I couldn't s-say anything…I _have_ to run!" Sora exclaimed.

"I know," Riku whispered back, tracing circles on his boyfriend's back in soothing motions. Conversation lapsed into silence, save for Sora's quiet sobs that were muffled by Riku's shirt. After five minutes, Riku sighed. "Are you okay? Did your dad…" Riku trailed off as Sora shook his head.

"I'm fine. He didn't _really_ hurt me. He just got c-carried away," Sora whispered, his eyes shut. Riku ran a hand through his spiky brown hair, coiling a few strands around his fingers.

"Tired?" Riku asked, seeing the teen's eyes lazily flicker open, and then shut again. The answer came in the form of a nod and Riku shifted so to be able to carry Sora into the guest bedroom. Once Sora was settled and quickly falling asleep, Riku pressed a quick kiss on his lips. Sora's hand found the junior's wrist as his blue eyes flashed open.

"Stay? Please?" He asked, exhaustion wiping all traces of embarrassment away.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Promise," Riku swore, running his hand through Sora's hair before standing up and leaving the room, careful to leave the door open. He hurried down to the phone in the living room, grabbing the backpack Cloud gave him on the way and rifling through it until he found the scrap of paper with Cloud's number on it.

"Cloud?" Riku asked when he heard a distinguished 'click' on the other end of the line.

"_Hello, Riku,"_ Cloud responded.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Riku asked, almost wary of what Cloud had on his mind.

"_Sora."_ Riku rolled his eyes. That one had been a given. He waited for Cloud to continue. _"Did he tell you?"_

"In his own way."

"_Did you know about it, then?"_ Cloud asked.

"No!" Riku exclaimed. "Of course not! I would have said something."

"_I just had to ask. I believe you Riku. Listen, there's a whole bunch of first aid stuff in the backpack. Get him to either apply it himself, or to let you do it. There's a brace in there too—I think Sora sprained his wrist. That can all wait until morning though."_

"So Sora's gonna be spending a while here, then?" Riku asked.

"_Well...yeah. He may want to spend some time over here, but for the most part he'll be with you. Is that alright?" _Cloud checked.

"It's fine."

"_Good. He seemed to want to get off of Destiny Island for a while, so I'm glad you don't mind having him there."_

"No, it's great. We'll have fun," Riku said, prompting Cloud to chuckle.

"_Tell Sora that he should take at least two day's off from school, more if he wants, but after two days he can come back over here in the mornings for school and track. I don't want to see him over here before then, okay?"_

"Sounds good. Anything else?" Riku asked.

"_Not yet, anyway. Call me if _anything_ happens, and I'll call to check in with Sora sometimes. Have fun,"_ Cloud said, hanging up the receiver. Riku put down his phone as well, unzipping the backpack in front of him a moment later. There were a few containers of standard medical supplies, hydrogen peroxide and the like…a few large band-aids, some weird looking yellowish salve, and the aforementioned wrist brace. _Oh shit Sora…why didn't you tell someone?_ Riku wondered silently as he toted the backpack into Sora's room and then went to change into his own pajamas. Riku returned five minutes later to crawl into the bed beside Sora, pulling the younger boy's sleeping figure into his arms.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Sora…I just wish you told someone," Riku whispered into the brunette's soft hair. Sora moaned in response, curling into Riku and wrapping his thin arms around Riku's waist. The silver-haired boy held him a bit tighter.

A knock sounded on the Leonhart's door, and Leon knew it was Cloud.

---------------------

"Come on in, Cloud," He yelled, hoping that the blonde could hear him through the door. It clicked open a moment later, and Leon turned around to see Cloud taking his shoes and jacket off. He knew that Cloud cared about Sora…but this…he looked devastated. As if he was a _relative_ of Sora's. Cloud was pale, his hair messier than normal, there were circles under his eyes from stress and a slouch to his walk. Leon stood up and walked towards Cloud. "How are you doing?" He asked softly as he wrapped his arms around the blonde. Cloud rested his forehead on the taller man's shoulder, letting his eyes shut.

"I'm…I don't know. Everything's just starting to sink in," He said, letting Leon lead him over to the couch.

"Sora's not seriously injured, Cloud. You got there in time."

"Did you feel like it was your fault with Zexion?" Cloud asked, holding his head in his hands. Leon sighed.

"For a bit. But then I realized I couldn't change the past, so why should I beat myself up over it?"

"You didn't have a brother who was best friends with Zexion. You didn't see him every day. You didn't know his father was a complete jerk. You didn't—" A calm touch of lips to his own stopped Cloud mid-rant, and suddenly he was being pushed onto his back on the couch.

"Cloud. Sora's going to be fine. None of this is your fault; don't waste time trying to tell yourself it was. Sora's not going to go for it, and _I'm_ not. So shut up," Leon whispered firmly against his lips. Cloud sighed, letting his head drop back into the cushion, closing his eyes. He could feel Leon shifting a bit to sit on his hips. A moment later Leon pulled back, moving his lips across Cloud's cheekbone to rest against his ear, slowly sucking.

"This is _not_ helping with the guilty feeling," Cloud said with a small smile, his words fading into a quiet gasp as Leon continued ministrations on his ear. "Oh _fuck_," Cloud breathed loudly into Leon's own ear. He could feel the brunette smirk against his skin, moving away from his ear and pulling further away so as to look into Cloud's eyes.

"It'll pass. Don't blame yourself," Leon whispered, capturing Cloud's lips in a bruising kiss after he spoke. Cloud responded, moving his lips against Leon's and letting their tongues fight each other in both domains. Suddenly Leon's hands underneath his shirt pulled him back to reality and Cloud turned his head to the side sharply, breaking their lip-lock.

"We can't do this. _I _can't do this. I…Sephiroth—Sora—I just can't. I'm sorry, Leon…I—" Leon sank back down so he was resting all of his weight on Cloud, letting his lips graze the blonde's collar bone lightly.

"It's fine, Cloud. I…understand. I probably shouldn't be doing this either. But…," Leon looked up, a sly look on his face, "It's a little hard when you're _moaning_ underneath me," He said with a laugh. Cloud rolled his eyes and pushed Leon off of him, sitting up and straightening his shirt a bit.

"Leon," He said slowly, "Don't think it's not because I don't want to…it's just…"

"Cloud, I already told you I understand. Come on, you'll be staying here for the night," Leon said, standing up and turning to go upstairs. Cloud looked at his watch.

"Shit. Ferry's shut down. I didn't realize it had gotten so late," Cloud cursed, following Leon upstairs.

"That's fine. You can borrow some of my clothes for tonight and head back in the morning. We don't have a guest bedroom—never really have guests—so you can either sleep on the couch upstairs, downstairs, on the one in my room…or…" Leon smirked, "With me," He said with a smile. Cloud laughed.

"If you let me _sleep_, I'll sleep with you. I have classes in the morning, and I'll have to get up fucking _early_, so you _won't_ try anything," He said firmly, although his words were separated by bits of laughter. Leon smiled.

"Yeah, like you'd really mind, Cloud," He teased. "But seriously, I have work in the morning, so it looks like we _both_ need sleep tonight. That, and you look ready to pass out."

"I'll bet."

Zexion snorted as he watched the two young men move to Leon's room. _Sleep my ass, _He thought with a smirk, shutting his door and riffling around in his desk for earplugs.

-----------------

Roxas unlocked the door to the Strife home with a sigh, walking inside and dropping his textbooks on the couch. Cloud didn't seem to be back yet, and Roxas had long since stopped trying to think up reasons why his brother had ordered him out of the house and then disappeared himself. The clock above the stove read midnight, but Roxas grabbed the phone and dialed Cloud's cell number anyway.

"Cloud? What the fuck is going on?" Roxas exclaimed loudly when he heard a click at the other end of the connection.

"_Uh…Cloud…it's your brother,"_ Someone said, their voice muffled enough that Roxas didn't quite recognize it.

"_Rox? Everything okay?"_ Cloud asked, sounding a bit tired.

"Yeah, but what's going on? Where are you?" Roxas asked.

"_I'm at Leon's. I had something really important to do earlier, and you'll find out about it in a few days. Go to bed, you've got school tomorrow,"_ Cloud answered vaguely just before hanging up. Roxas heard the click and swore, chucking the phone down on the counter and storming to his room. Something was going on, and he hated being the only one left in the dark.

-------------------------

"Tiiiiifa," Rikku sang into the phone, smiling. "I've got an opening in Demyx's schedule…and I'm pretty sure Zexion's not doin' anything…soooo…."

"_Finally! When's the gap, though? I couldn't find one,_" Tifa commented, setting her homework down and focusing her attention on their plans for Demyx and Zexion.

"Kairi was talking with Dem today, and he was all bummed that he couldn't go to this lame fund raiser thing because the coordinator of the event had a family emergency or something like that…whatever…Anyway, the point is, is that they need to get together in _two days_ because me and Kairi are sick of hearing him talking _incessantly_ about _Zexion_!"

"_That sounds fine, Rikku. And guess what I heard the other day, you know at track on Wednesday when we sort of had a scrimmage meet, and Cloud and Leon started acting all weird—they're going to start dating before the end of the season, I swear—and then Zexion sort of got moody and walked off?" _Tifa asked. Rikku nodded, voicing affirmation when she realized that Tifa couldn't see her. _"Well Demyx followed him, and they talked for a long time, and then Zexion_kissed_ him! Did you know that?! I don't _believe_ that they didn't get together right then!" _Tifa exclaimed. Rikku laughed.

"I think I heard Demyx talking about being kissed, but then he just brushed it off for him and Zexy getting 'carried away'. Sounds like both of them just sort of let it go…_boys…_" Rikku chided good-naturedly. "Anyway, I'm meeting my dad in a few, so I'll need to go pretty quick, but you need to get Zexion to Saanti's Coffeehouse, that little place near the docks in Twilight Town. I'll get Demyx there by four thirty," Rikku said.

"_Got it. Make sure you tell Kairi and Selph, and I'll round up Naminé, Yuffie, and Ollette and we'll all go over there andohmygosh I can't wait!"_

"Don't let Zexion see you!" Rikku cried, but her friend had already hung up. Rikku followed suit, smiling to herself. This was going to be_great_.

* * *

Short and sweet, kind of a change from all the long chapters I've been writing. Hope you all enjoyed it!

Of course, if you did enjoy it (or if you hated it...) I'll like to hear a few comments, opinions, ideas...anything! Thanks!

Wykkyd


	21. Can I Talk?

**A/N:**I got some pretty phenomenal reviews for the last chapter. I'd like to specially thank **Rydia Asuka (**thanks again for your super-helpful hints!)**, Sarehptar (**I can't thank you enough for your page and a half of comments on TS! love)**, fanboy of legendary fics (**if you leave an email or log in next time, I'd love to give you a reply to your flattering comments!)and** StupefiedNarutard (**SOOO nice of you to take the time to write all that. You're honest opinions and lovely comments inspire me)These four left me INCREDIBLE reviews. Thank you so much you guys!

Hats off to my betas: Riku-stalker and Bubble Master Califa!

* * *

**Track Season**

**Can I Talk?**

Roxas got home after track and took out his homework, although he didn't start working. Instead he sat down on the couch and dragged his cell out of his pocket, dialing Axel's number. Something about Axel's proposal seemed…almost too good to be true. Axel had asked to…well,_date_ him. But Roxas _knew_ that Axel wasn't the kind of guy who stuck with one person for too long. Roxas sighed, absentmindedly listening to the rings of the phone. Axel seemed genuine, that much was true. But would he stay that way? Roxas had no idea.

"_Rox!"_ Axel exclaimed, breaking into the blond-haired teen's thoughts.

"Oh, hey Axel," Roxas said nonchalantly.

"_Sooo…what's up?_"

"Um…not much…Actually, I take that back. Do you know anything about why Sora wasn't at our practice today?" Roxas asked, remembering his best friend's strange disappearance.

"_Roxas, I didn't do anything to Sora, if that's what you mean—and none of my friend's did either. Riku was missing from school today, and wouldn't answer his cell though…" _Axel responded thoughtfully.

"Sora isn't answering his either."

"_I'm sure they're fine. Hell, they're probably together. I'll keep an eye out for either one of them, if that would make you feel any better,"_ Axel suggested. Roxas couldn't help but smile.

"Am I talking to the right Axel? Trying to make me _feel better_?" He teased. Axel snorted.

"_Don't get used to it, Blondie. Hey, we should do something tonight."_ Roxas paused, and Axel read into the silence perfectly. _"I promised I wouldn't let you get fucked on anything, okay? I plan to keep that promise."_

"I—" Roxas started, only to be cut off.

"_Listen, I'll meet you in half an hour at the Twilight Town docks. Does that work? I've got a place where we can go," _Axel offered. Roxas took a deep breath.

"Fuck, Axel, don't make me regret this," He breathed after a pause. He could almost _hear_ the smirk on Axel's face.

"_You won't, Roxy, you won't."_ Roxas didn't know if that was a good thing…or a bad thing…

After a minute of consideration, Roxas got up from the couch and went to change. He put on a simple, skinny white t-shirt over a long-sleeved red shirt, messed up his hair a bit, and rummaged around for a tie somewhere on the floor of his room. When he found the one he was looking for he looped it through the belt loops on his jeans, tying it to hang to the side. Satisfied with his simple ensemble, Roxas checked to make sure he had his wallet and phone and then went back into the kitchen to write a note to Cloud.

_Cloud, I'm out with Axel. Don't worry about me, I won't get into trouble._

_Trust me,_

_Rox_

Sighing at the note—'out with Axel' might not go over too well—Roxas left it in plain sight on the counter and slipped out of the house, locking the front door on his way out. He jogged the familiar and short distance to the docks, taking shortcuts through people's yards, and arrived at the ferry five minutes before it was scheduled to depart. He found Demyx sitting on a bench and went over to him.

"Hey Dem," Roxas greeted, sitting down next to his friend.

"Oh, Roxas!" Demyx said, smiling as he looked Roxas over. "Where are you headed?" The blond rolled his eyes.

"Twilight Town, duh."

"No, like, what are you doing there?" Demyx rephrased.

"Oh, I'm hanging with Axel for the night," Roxas said lightly, catching the momentarily concerned look on his friend's face.

"Oh?" Demyx asked, and Roxas raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. "So…you're going out, then?" The shorter teen shrugged, noting that the ferry was chugging into the bay.

"Sort of. He asked me to go out with him last track meet and I figured I'd give him a chance." Demyx shrugged. "So…what are _you_ going to do in Twilight?" Roxas asked, eager to steer the conversation away from himself.

"I'm going to the café near the docks to meet with the head of the drama club at Twilight Town High. Zexion's been talking to him about setting up a Twilight Town and Destiny High play up, or something. He should be there too," Demyx replied. Roxas raised his eyebrows. _Is Demyx even _in_ the drama club?_ Roxas wondered. Suddenly a thought came to him.

"School play, huh? Demyx, you need to work on your excuses," He teased with a smirk.

"What do you mean? That's what I'm doing! Rikku just called and asked me to fill in for her tonight," the older track runner explained, apparently confused. Roxas laughed.

"Everyone knows you like him, Dem. You should just buy him a bunch of flowers or something corny like that and ask him out," Roxas said flatly. "I heard a rumor that you were making out with him on the docks a while ago too, hmm?" Demyx shrugged, giving in.

"Yeah, but that was, like…we were just a little caught up in the moment, I think."

"Newsflash, Demyx, when you make out with someone like Zexion, it's because you like him and he likes you back. That's just how it works," Roxas said flatly.

"Fine! I like him, but I don't think he likes me; I mean, why would he? We're too different," Demyx said, running his strong hands through his hair.

"That's not a problem, Dem. I think you'd be great together. Zexion seems waaaay too…what's the word…_depressed_ for his own good. Everyone can use a spastic, optimistic, and hyper kid around, right?" He said with a smile as he stood up. He saw his friend shrug and they got off the ferry together. "See you 'round, Dem. Have fun tonight," Roxas said in a way of parting as he spotted Axel leaning against a rail a hundred meters away.

"You too, Roxas, be—" Roxas cut him off with a wave, not wanting to hear the warning he was going to receive from the other blond. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked up to Axel. The taller boy's hair seemed to be spikier than it had the last time he saw it, if possible. He was wearing a black, zip-up hoodie that was a bit form fitting, showing off how slender he was, and his legs were covered with black skinny jeans, decorated with a pair of belts.

"Hey, Axel," Roxas said softly, watching the older boy as he turned his eyes to him.

"Rox! Glad you came," Axel responded, moving to the blond and grabbing his shoulders in a greeting. He leaned down enough to run his lips over the side of Roxas's neck. "I'd kiss you, but the patrol man over there thinks I'm trying to sell drugs or something, and I don't think he'd like that very much." Roxas shivered as Axel's breath ran down his spine.

"Right," He breathed, stepping away from the redhead and asking where they were going.

"Tifa's place; her parents are out of town. You know her from track, I think. Long black hair, hangs out with Yuffie, the—"

"Spastic, black-haired ninja. Right. I know 'em." The two began walking in silence until five minutes later when Axel spoke again.

"Roxas?" The blond-haired teen looked up.

"What?" He asked, knowing that Axel only used his entire name when he was being serious. Axel took a breath before posing his next question.

"Roxas, do you trust me? Like, _really_ trust me?" the redhead asked, stopping in the street and turning to his boyfriend. Roxas looked at his shoes.

"A little. I don't really…know you well enough to _really_trust you. I mean…after Marluxia…it's hard. I'm…I'm sorry, Axel," the blond said softly. He expected Axel to shrug and keep walking or something. He felt the senior's disappointment, but then there was a pair of arms wrapping around him and hot breath in his ear.

"I didn't expect you to. I didn't fall for you because I knew you'd be easy to get, Roxas. I'll earn your trust. _Promise_." With a soft smile, Axel brushed his lips over Roxas's, taking the blond's lower lip in his teeth for a moment before releasing him. "Let's finish this at Tifa's. Twilight Town's used to me making out with people on the street and everything…but still," Axel said with a smirk and a wink. Roxas gave him a playful shove and started walking again, leaving Axel to catch up. "Oh, that was_cold_, darling," Axel drawled behind him.

"Fucker."

"I should give up now."

"Don't even think about it." Smirk.

---------------------

Axel was true to his word, and four hours later Roxas found that he was deliciously drug-free—but not necessarily sober. The alcohol running through his veins only heightened the experience of Axel sitting on his hips, their chests flush together and his spine pressing almost painfully into the carpeted floor in Tifa's bedroom. Axel's shirt was somewhere else by now, and Roxas's hands let themselves explore the expanse of slightly tanned skin, his thin fingers moving deftly over Axel's hard muscles as the senior's lips nipped at his neck, his large hands moving down to Roxas's waist, slowly unbuttoning his jeans and unzipping the fly.

"_Fuck_," Roxas swore as Axel's long finger's wrapped around his dick, coaxing it into a complete and throbbing erection. Axel smirked, gazing into Roxas's lust-clouded eyes and knowing this must look similar. The sophomore's lips were slightly parted, his tongue darting out every once in a while to moisten them. Axel knew that he was attracted to Roxas before this…_much_before…but suddenly he realized that Roxas was one sexy son of a bitch.

"You a virgin?" Axel breathed, his hand pumping up and down Roxas's erection, fingers stroking and teasing.

"No sex tonight, Axel," Roxas replied, his voice breathy and his eyes flickering closed for a moment before he opened them again.

"I know, but you don't act like one," the redhead mentioned. Even in his alcohol and lust-induced haze he could make out Roxas's slightly pained expression. When the blond didn't give him an answer Axel moved on, capturing Roxas's lips in a bruising kiss as his hand started pumping faster. Roxas gasped and Axel pushed his tongue into his boyfriend's mouth as the blond arched his back. Five seconds later Roxas screamed, a string of expletives and Axel's name emitting from his mouth as he climaxed, sticky white semen exploding into Axel's hand. After a moment Roxas relaxed and lay back, his eyes drifting closed as his quick breathing slowed down. Axel wiped his hand on one of Tifa's shirts—he'd work _that_ one out later—and pressed his lips to Roxas's again. The younger teen reciprocated by opening his mouth and worming his tongue through Axel's lips, lightly sucking on the roof of the red-head's hot cavity as he moved his hands up to comb through his spiky hair.

He was rewarded with a potent groan from Axel, who slammed his hips down onto Roxas's, building friction between them.

"If you won't let me fuck you tonight, we need to stop before I lose control, okay?" He gasped when Roxas pulled away for air.

"And what do you plan to do about _this_?" Roxas asked, pressing up on Axel's erection with his knee. Axel pitched forward slightly, his cheek brushing Roxas's forehead as his breath hitched for a second. He felt Roxas unzipping his zipper, and a warm hand slip inside his boxers, but not going lower. "You need to be on your back," Roxas said, almost not expecting Axel to give up his dominant position. But the senior flipped over, his cheeks flushed and his eyes glazed over. Roxas hooked Axel's boxers with his two thumbs and pulled them down, freeing his boyfriend's leaking erection.

Roxas felt Axel's lust-filled eyes on him and he looked up as he lowered his chest onto Axel's, smirking a bit before letting his tongue travel down the senior's stomach. He paused for a moment to dip into Axel's belly button, licking and biting the tender flesh in gentle cycles.

"Roxas, be a fucking _man_ and stop _teasing_," Axel moaned underneath him, writhing as the younger boy kept licking and sucking on his skin. Finally Roxas stopped his administrations, moving a bit lower and experimentally running his tongue over the tip of his boyfriend's throbbing dick. He felt Axel's hands bury themselves almost painfully in his hair. The familiar touch jogged his memory and Roxas closed his eyes before lowering his mouth. _I'm gonna give you the ride of your life Axel,_ Roxas thought before putting everything he had into Axel.

----------------------

Tifa was leaning against a wall with her arms crossed, watching a few guys participate in the beginnings of a drinking contest. She knew a couple of them from last year's track team—they had graduated—although there were several young men she didn't know in the group as well.

"Tifa...In or out?" Xaldin asked, holding up a shot glass. She shook her head.

"I'll judge," She said with a smirk, raising her eyebrows. She would feel better about keeping her parents' house from being torn to shred if she wasn't smashed. Xaldin shrugged, turning back to Xigbar and raising his glass. Tifa counted to three, moving away from the wall to preside over them, and both downed their shots. Kids crowded around the three, picking sides to bet on.

"Xigbar's got this one," commented a brown-haired girl.

"Never know...Xaldin won last time," her friend mentioned.

Ten minutes later Xaldin slammed his shot glass down onto the table, obviously trying not to throw up. Xigbar grinned, pouring another two shots with shaking hands.

"Lightweight..." He taunted, pushing the glass towards his friend. Xaldin shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Oh fuck..." He moaned.

"Come_on_!" Xigbar cried.

"Xig cut it out. If he stops, you don't egg him on," Tifa said seriously, glaring at the older boy. He looked at her, eyebrows raised and a smirk on his face.

"You're one to talk, Miss I'm-Going-To-Be-Responsible-And-Stay-Sober," Xigbar teased. The group of kids around them laughed, sending mocking smiles in the black-haired girl's direction. Tifa heard the challenge in Xigbar's voice.

"Oh yeah?" She asked, smirking as she grabbed Xaldin's full shot glass, swallowing it in one go. "You're on." _Yuffie'll keep an eye on the house, _Tifa thought, sobriety a thing of the recent past.

---------------------

Axel leaned back into the couch cushions and watched as Roxas roamed around the room, talking to different people. His hips swayed more when he was drunk, Axel noticed, his eyes glued to the blonde's rear as it danced through the crowds. Someone sat down next to Axel on the couch just then and the senior looked over to see Tifa watching Roxas as well.

"He's hot, Asssel. Why'd he have to like _you_?" Tifa slurred with a smirk, tossing her hair over her shoulder. A bottle filled with who-knows-what was hanging from her fingertips and Axel reached over her, grabbed it, and took a whiff.

"What the fuck _is_ that?" He asked; wrinkling his nose and handing it back to her. She shrugged; obviously not sober enough to remember what she was drinking. Axel just shook his head and went back to watching Roxas, who was talking with Pence now. He felt Tifa get up again and go over to Roxas. Zexion took her place next to Axel and gave the redhead a small smile.

"How's it going with Roxas?" He asked. Axel smiled and let his head fall back.

"Nicely._Very_ nicely."

"Are you planning on hanging on to him?" Zexion questioned. Axel shrugged.

"For as long as he'll keep me. I tell ya Zex, he gives a _mean_ blow-job," Axel commented, the grin still on his face. Zexion just rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, Axel. I don't need to know any more."

"You're loss."

Tifa glanced over at Axel again, noticing that he was talking to Zexion, and grabbed Roxas's arm to pull him into a corner.

"What do you want?" Roxas asked, his voice normal save for a slight slur. Tifa looked back at Axel.

"Look, Rosssas. Asssel doesn't like you like you think he does. He just thinks your sessy, okay? I've seen him do this with about twenty girls, and a gussillion guys. I like you, and this is why I'm doing this. Let Asssel go, fuck him if you want, but don't get attassed to him. He's not going to change any time soon, you sha' realize that. I don't know what he told you, but it's going to be the same thing that he told everyone else. 'I don't want a sess-toy…I want _you_'…yeah. Rosssas, that's all shit. He'll act like he cares, he'll fuck you, and then he'll find someone else. Like your little friend, Sowa. Someone like him," Tifa said urgently, her words slurred enough to make several of them hard to understand. Roxas glared at her.

"Don't talk about Sora like that. And I don't—"

"Believe me? Hun, I'm trying to save you a heart here. Asssel is _not going to care about you _in a week. Let him go now, while you don't _really_ like him," Tifa said.

"_Shut up_, Tifa," Roxas snarled, turning his back to her. She grabbed his shoulder and spun him back around. "What do you _want_, anyway?" Roxas snapped. "For me to just tell Axel that I don't want to do this? Is that it? Or is it that _you_ want him, and _I'm_ in your fucking way," He snarled. Tifa looked confused for a moment before she laughed.

"It's not _Asssel_I want…it's _you._" Roxas froze, looking into Tifa's brown eyes. _What the fuck is going on here_? He thought frantically, moving away from her a bit. She laughed and pulled him against her, leaning down and licking his ear.

"You're drunk, Tifa. Get off me," Roxas said shakily.

"Come on Rosssas, Asssel's just going to dump you. I won't. I _promise_." Her words burned a hole in his head, exact copies of Axel's earlier. '_I promise_'. Promises…Marluxia had promised something too. Xemnas promised. Tifa's lips on his own brought him back to reality, the taste of alcohol invading his mouth. He pushed at her shoulders, tripping backwards and hitting the floor hard.

"Get the fuck away from me!" He shouted, staring up at her. His shout was enough to catch Axel's attention, and the redhead jumped over the back of the couch and walked over to them. Tifa rolled her eyes and glared at Roxas.

"I promised, Rosssas."

"Fuck you, Tifa. And get the fuck away from my boyfriend," Axel yelled, helping Roxas to his feet and putting a protective arm around him. "Come on, Roxas," He said softly, tugging the younger boy out onto the deck and into the manicured yard. Axel sat down on the grass, pulling Roxas into his lap, but the blond shrugged out of his grasp and sat down a few feet away. Axel watched with concerned eyes as Roxas put his head in his hands, massaging his temples. "Are you okay, Roxas?" He asked. Roxas sighed and flopped down on his back.

"Sure," He said without emotion.

"Roxas," Axel said, his voice a bit lower. His boyfriend groaned.

"Shit," the blond whispered softly, his words carried to Axel by the faint breeze that was clearing both of their heads. "I sort of knew this would happen…but…"

"Roxas! Just tell me what's going on! _What_did you know was going to happen?" Roxas looked at the boy leaning over him, his green eyes a bit worried once you looked past the drunken haze.

"I like you Axel. But…do you like me? I mean…I know this sounds sappy, but I know you're not used to dating people for that long. And…and I'm worried that you don't want this, that you won't want this when…when...if—"

"When...If you let me have sex with you? You still think I'm going to leave, huh?"

"Tifa said—"

"Tifa's a bitch when she's drunk, Roxas, like, two hundred times worse than she is when she's sober. Dude, I don't know what she said, but she fucking came on to you!" Axel spat. Roxas turned his head to the side.

"She promised…_promised_ she wouldn't let me go. Like you _promised_ to earn my trust. Like…like M-Marluxia promised it…it…"

"What did he promise?" Axel asked, his eyes looking at Roxas's pained face.

"He promised it…it wouldn't hurt," Roxas finally whispered, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to keep the tears from pouring from them. Axel didn't move for a moment, thinking about what _that_could have meant. But a suppressed sob seemed more important at the moment and he picked Roxas up, pulling him into his lap. Roxas grabbed Axel's shoulders, giving in and crying openly as the senior tried his best to comfort him. "I'm sorry Axel…I just...I never—"

"Roxas, let's go back to my place, okay? My mom won't mind, and I think we need to talk; both of us," Axel said, and Roxas nodded. "Great. Come on," He said, pulling Roxas to his feet and wrapping an arm around his waist. The two waved goodbye to a few of the kids looking at them curiously as they walked out of Tifa's driveway.

The walk back to Axel's place was silent, although Axel would glance down at Roxas every once and a while and see tear tracks on his cheeks, prompting him to hold the teen closer.

Roxas liked the comforting feeling of Axel's home. He certainly hadn't been expecting it to be like that…because Axel wasn't really like that, but Axel had told him that his mother wanted this place to feel 'homey'. It certainly was. Axel's room suited him much more though. The walls were bright red with band and movie posters plastered everywhere, clothes, CDs, movies, and games littering the floor. Axel tugged Roxas over to his bed and they both sat down; Roxas curled into Axel's lap and the taller boy wrapped his arms around him.

"Maybe you should go first. What's on your mind, Roxas?" Axel said softly. Roxas sighed.

"Can I tell you about Marluxia? I guess I haven't really told anyone about him…because…well, because I knew that Cloud would keep me under lock and key, and Sora would just tell Cloud," Roxas said. Axel stayed quiet. "Marluxia was a senior when I was in eigth grade, and he was sort of the leader of the group. They were all junkies: him and Larxene, Saïx, Vexen. I think Marluxia got all of the shit from his dad, Xemnas. Marluxia was actually really nice; nicer than the rest of them were to me, anyway. He kept me off a few drugs, which I sort of hated back then, but I'm thankful now. But he'd get violent when he was on stimulants and shit, and because Saïx and Vexen were bigger than him, and Larxene was faster, he took it out on me. It hurt for a few days after that happened, but it wasn't anything serious. Bruises at most. He wouldn't really remember what happened later anyway, so it never caused a problem. Really, I was just too scared to tell him, because even though he seemed okay and everything I was fucking terrified of all of them. I just liked the drugs.

"Marluxia was really close to his dad, and most of the time we'd just go over to his place whenever we wanted to have some fun, and Xemnas normally joined us. It was weird I guess, 'cause he was about twenty years older than most of us, but it wasn't that big of a deal. But…then…one night there was something new circulated around. I was told it was crack, not a big deal. Something was in it though. And all I really remember was Marluxia promising me it _wouldn't_ hurt, and his lips on me, and Xemnas right there…and…it _hurt_Axel. Like you'd never believe," Roxas said, his voice choked as tears started flowing again. Axel pulled him close and held Roxas's head into his chest.

"How many times did that happen?" Axel asked, even though he didn't want to know the answer.

"Only that time. Larxene did some shit…and then if I got really smashed Saïx would…do things. But Cloud found out two days after Marluxia and Xemnas did…that. He found out about all the drugs, but not…not the sex. I never told him," Roxas said, breaking down into sobs. Axel was at a loss for words as he held his boyfriend tightly, running his hands through Roxas's silky hair. This was horrible. He already knew about the drugs, but not _this_. This was rape. And he hated that it had happened to Roxas. "I trusted Marluxia. Up until he…he did _that_. He left Destiny about two weeks after that, and his crew left too. I haven't heard from them; not that I want to, of course. It's just…I felt betrayed, Axel. I know we weren't really friends or anything, but I trusted Marluxia enough to feel betrayed when that happened. And now it's hard to know when people mean it…or if they're just using me. I don't know. I'm sorry, Axel, I really am. And I _knew_ that I would fall for you, even though I didn't want too…and then I didn't want to tell you about Marluxia because you might—"

"Shhh. Roxas, it's fine. Let me tell you something, okay?" Axel started, pressing his lips to Roxas's neck quickly and holding his index finger to the blond's lips. "It's true that I rarely stay with people for that long. Riku and me, we were the kind of guys who really thought we were above truly liking someone. Now don't start about Sora, okay?" Axel said when he saw Roxas open his mouth. "Just hear me out. At the first track meet, Riku saw Sora and something clicked. Something about seeing Sora with his father…anyway, the morning after the party I was teasing him about how he seemed stuck on Sora. You know, how he really seemed to like him. He asked me about you; like, if I thought you were special. I said 'no'." Roxas stiffened. "Maybe it was true then, maybe it wasn't. But Riku seemed so happy after meeting Sora…and I began to realize that maybe it wasn't that bad to go out with someone that you like, instead of just sleeping with them. And then Riku made me realize that I was acting differently around you. You pissed me off, Roxas," Axel said with a quiet laugh. "And I couldn't figure you out. But I knew that I liked you. And then I was positive I liked you when you said that you'd go out with me because I was so fucking _happy_. Roxas, at the first track meet I noticed you were hot, okay? And then later I realized that I loved hanging out with you. And somewhere along the line I figured out that I didn't care if I _never_ got to…do anything like that with you, because I just liked _being_ with you. I'm going to hold on to you until you push me away, Roxas. You have the control. If I'm doing something you're not comfortable with, tell me and I'll stop. If you don't want to go somewhere with me, tell me and we won't go. I promise. And I promise to keep that promise," Axel whispered against Roxas's lips, turning his boyfriend so he could kiss him easily. Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel's shoulder and began moving his lips along with Axel's, tears still running down his cheeks. He believed Axel, he really did.

Axel put his hands on Roxas's cheeks, brushing away tears as he kissed the blond, running his tongue against Roxas's lower lip. In response, Roxas opened his mouth, letting Axel push the moist muscle into his mouth without a fight. Axel pushed him back onto the bed and moved his lips over Roxas's jaw, running down his neck and pausing to swirl over the blond's collarbone.

"Wait, Axel…there's something else," Roxas gasped, his eyes dilated and cloudy. "I…you…_we_can't have sex. I know that Marluxia was clean…but his dad really slept around…and…and I never got checked for STDs." There was a small pause before Roxas turned away, closing his eyes. Axel wasn't going to want anything to do with him…not if he had any brains anyway. Instead of moving away from Roxas, Axel sighed and pulled Roxas's head back so their eyes met.

"Roxas, I'm past sex, okay? I don't need it. And I fucking promised that I'd stay with you. So either you're already sick of me, or you don't understand that yet," Axel said, kissing the blond on the nose.

"But—"

"I'm not eliminating the chance of an STD, but I'm not going to kick you out of my life because some fucker raped you." Roxas flinched at the words, but nodded. "And we'll get you screened for anything like HIV or something, okay? My mom works at a clinic where they'll do that for free if you're under eighteen. She won't hold anything against you, and neither will I. How's that sound?" Axel proposed. Roxas nodded.

"As long as Cloud doesn't find out," He whispered, a smirk on his face. Axel leaned down and crashed their lips together; letting his hands move to strip Roxas of his shirt for the second time that night.

* * *

Hopefully this wasn't too depressing. I remember writing this just after a LONG writers' block, and the drama had to be put in so I wouldn't abandon the story. I'll admit that I still like it though...;) Plus, it's Axel and Roxas! I had neglected them for a bit.

Thanks again for all the AMAZING reviews I got for the last chapter. I was blown away! If you have any thoughts on this chapter, I'd love to hear 'em!

Wykkyd


	22. Damn Near Perfect

**A/N:**Wow. This took waaaay too long to finish up. The length made it really hard to edit it, and because I had read it so many times already I didn't really want to go back and fix things that needed help...but regardless, here it is! Hope this chapter answers a few questions you might have!

Beta credit to Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker

* * *

**Track Season**

**Damn Near Perfect**

Demyx shoved his hands into the pocket of his black jeans after waving goodbye to Roxas and watching the blond meet up with the redheaded sprinter, Axel. He wasn't too worried about Roxas because the kid could definitely handle himself and Axel really _did_ like him, despite the senior's previous actions with other girls and guys. With a smile at the couple, Demyx walked across the loading dock with the crowd of ferry-goers. Saanti's was a well-known coffee house right next to the docks, a cutesy little place, but Demyx had always liked the ocean-themed decor. He used to come here a lot with his mother when he was a child.

Instantly Demyx noticed Zexion sitting at one of the tables, even though it was a bit sheltered from the street. With a smile and a nervous feeling in his stomach, Demyx casually walked into the café, pretended to tip an imaginary hat at the waitress and sat down across from Zexion. The long-distance runner looked surprised.

"Demyx! What are you doing here?" He asked, his eyes wide.

"Rikku called, said I needed to fill in for her at the drama-meeting thing with some guy from your school," Demyx said with a shrug. "Which is weird, because I'm not even _in_ the drama club at DIH. And somehow I don't think _you_are, either," Demyx finished, raising his eyebrows. Zexion cracked a smile.

"Wanna hear what Tifa came up for me?" Zexion asked, his smile wider. The pieces flew together in Demxy's head and he started laughing, simultaneously nodding his head. "Okay. I am here because my aunt called Tifa—uh-_huh—_and told her that she needed to tell me to meet her here for dinner tonight. Rikku did a much better job with getting you here; I almost didn't come," Zexion said with a smirk.

"You're_ aunt?_" Demyx asked incredulously before laughing all over again. Zexion allowed himself to give in to Demyx's infectious laugher, calming down when the waitress came up to their table and cleared her throat softly. Demyx looked at Zexion.

"Should we stay?" He asked, trying to guard the hope that was threatening to leak into his tone. Zexion smiled.

"Sounds good," He looked up at the waitress. "Could you give us a few more minutes? Thanks," Zexion said, grabbing a menu when the girl left to help someone else. Demyx grabbed a menu from an empty table, scanning the list.

"Can you see Tifa or Rikku anywhere?" Demyx asked, without looking up from the menu.

"No, but I _know_ they're here, and probably with Naminé, Olette, and Yuffie," Zexion answered, looking out of the corners of his eyes for Tifa and her group of friends.

"And I'm willing to bet that Kairi's here with Rikku, too," Demyx added, putting his menu down and looking at Zexion. Zexion was lightly biting his lower lip, his eyes still scanning the menu. His hair fell down over one eye, brushing his jaws and his thin, shaped nose and blowing faintly in the wind. One arm was propped up on the table, fisted and resting against Zexion's cheek, occasionally his index finger twirling a strand of hair around it. Zexion finally sighed and set down his menu, snapping Demyx back to attention. The runner smiled a bit at the blond as he called the waitress over.

After the two had ordered Demyx looked back up at Karly, the waitress.

"Have you seen a group of…I dunno, like, six girls hanging around here somewhere?" He asked. Karly smiled with a small chuckle.

"Oh yeah. They're over on a bench on the passenger dock, you can see them if you stand up," She said, before turning away from them. Zexion carefully moved to his feet, peering around a few people in the way before his eyes landed on a group of girls that were all familiar. He sat back down, a faint blush on his cheeks.

"This is embarrassing. Six of our female friends are watching us with_binoculars_. What the fuck do they want us to _do_?" Zexion asked, moaning. Demyx got to his feet and looked for the group of girls across the way.

"No, there are only five of them. Uh…short black hair—"

"Yuffie."

"Blonde hair—"

"Namine."

"Brown?"

"Olette."

"Red, and braids…that's Kairi and Rikku."

"Tifa's missing, then. Well, that makes sense. She's having a party at her place tonight," Zexion said. Demyx sat back down.

"If you were planning on going, don't let me keep you up," Demyx said. Zexion waved his hand dismissively.

"I'd prefer to be here anyway," He said with a smile. "Parties have never really been my thing, I guess, although I'll probably stop by there later. To much alcohol most of the time, you know," Zexion added. Demyx nodded solemnly, understanding where his friend was coming from. Zexion chucked a bit and shrugged his shoulders, seeming to put the serious moment behind him. "Leon, on the other hand, seems to _adore_ parties. Especially when a certain _blond_ is there," He said, smirking. Demyx laughed outright and a moment later Zexion joined him. Demyx really hadn't heard Zexion laugh much: he was generally so serious and quiet. But he had a nice laugh, one that matched his smile.

"Oh_god_, I thought I was the only one who actually paid attention to them that night," Demyx said, still laughing. He thought back to the after-first-track-meet party at Riku's with a smile. Zexion nodded.

"I thought _I_ was the only one who noticed—you were too fucking drunk to see straight, anyway—but I think just about everyone saw them. Leon's a bit…stuck…on Cloud. It's funny…but good, I guess. I mean; he's a pretty serious guy, never really laughed or smiled much before he met Cloud. That sounds sappy and everything, but it's true. I've been teasing him about it ever since," Zexion mentioned. Demyx laughed.

"They'd make a good couple: they're both caustic, serious, love glaring, don't ever talk…all that good stuff. I think they'll be good for each other," Demyx announced with a smile. Zexion nodded.

"I think they will be too. I know that Leon's excited about maybe dating someone again, so I hope it works out. 'Cause if it doesn't, I'm the one who has to put up with a very depressed Leon, and that sucks," Zexion mentioned, an amused spark in his eye. Just then Karly came by, handing them each the salad they ordered and asking them if they needed anything else.

"We're set, thanks," Demyx said, immediately digging into his food. Zexion rolled his eyes and began eating as well.

Ten minutes later both boys had finished and were quickly getting tired of small talk that was meant to dodge around the reason that both of them ended up here, together. After Karly had gathered their plates and they paid, Zexion and Demyx left the café side-by-side in silence, heading for the edge of the docks to look out over the harbor.

"So…what do we do about this?" Zexion finally asked, keeping his eyes on the water and praying that he was able to keep from blushing. Demyx shrugged.

"Well, the way I see it, we could do two things. We can just leave and go back to whatever we were before Rikku and Tifa tried to set us up, or I could lean over, kiss the life out of you, and then you ask me out," Demyx said, his face serious although his tone was light and almost amused. Zexion looked up in shock, his cheeks turning slightly pink as he stared at Demyx.

"What?" He asked; his eyes locked with the other boy's.

"I_said_, we could go back to whatever we were before this, or…I could do this," Demyx said softly, before leaning over to Zexion and pressing their lips together lightly. The motion woke Zexion from his momentary stun, and he found himself faced with a choice. Demyx wouldn't hold it against him if he didn't want to do this…but if he wanted to, he needed to kiss back. It wasn't as if they hadn't kissed before—but that seemed so different from now and not so accidental. This was _real_, on-purpose, _hungry and very passionate_. _Fuck it, Demyx_, Zexion thought as he grabbed Demyx's wrist and pulled the blond flush against his chest, wrapping his arms around Demyx's waist. _Yeah...sure we can do this. Anytime._

-------------------

"_Sooo_cute!" Olette squealed, her eyes wide. Rikku leaned over and wrenched the binoculars from the younger girl's hands.

"Let me see," She demanded.

"At least let me take them off so you don't decapitate me!" The brunette requested, looping the cord back over her head and looking back to the two boys.

"Tifa's gonna want evidence of this," Kairi mentioned, whipping out her cell phone and holding it up. Rikku and Naminé peered over her shoulder as she snapped several pictures.

"Nice shot," Rikku commented with a smirk. Olette, eyes still on Demyx and Zexion, sighed.

"I'm so glad those two got it together," She said.

"Actually, I think I can take most of the credit for this," Rikku said with a smug grin.

"Yes, because _you're _the one making out with Zexion over there," Kairi drawled sarcastically. Rikku smacked her arm lightly.

"Hey, they're _boys_. You have to knock them over the head for anything to _happen_. So...I did," She continued. If Tifa had been here the story would have gone a little differently, but it wasn't like this version left out _too_ much.

"You hit them on the head?" Naminé deadpanned. Rikku rolled her eyes.

"Not_literally_, genius. Now shut up and look at the two pretty boys making out over there."

------------------

Sora woke up groggily on Friday morning, Riku's arm wrapped around his waist. He carefully got out of bed so he wouldn't wake Riku and changed into the last set of clean clothes he had with him. Cloud said he'd stop by after school today to give him his own clothes and see how he was doing.

Taking the backpack of medical supplies and his wrist brace, Sora left the room and went into the bathroom to look at his bruises and apply some of Cloud's balm to it. Stripping his shirt off, he wasn't surprised to see that the marks looked no better although they weren't so painful anymore. His wrist was definitely sprained, Riku had made that diagnose, but the brace helped quite a bit and it felt better today. It was only seven twenty when Sora finished in the bathroom, so he went to make breakfast for Riku and himself.

Yesterday had been surprisingly relaxing, with exception to Zexion coming over with a determined face and a Polaroid camera in his hands. Sora found that life without his father watching his every move was much more enjoyable, and he was truly happy for the first time in several days. Riku seemed to be a bit suspicious of his behavior, but Sora's smiles were infectious, and the two of them ended up hanging out all day with Riku skipping school and everything. Zexion's business was to get evidence pictures for a later court date, something which Sora resisted with everything in him, not to mentioned embarrassed beyond belief and incredibly self-conscious about the whole affair. Regardless, half and hour later Zexion walked away with a stack of photos to get to Cloud, and Sora was left just as shaky as he had been the night Cloud dropped him off with Riku. Ever-conscious Riku simply put an arm around the brunet and took him out for pizza.

When Sora had a stack of pancakes warming in the oven he went upstairs to Riku's room and entered, finding Riku still asleep.

"Riku," Sora whispered in his ear. "Riku, wake up."

"Hmmm?"

"Get_up_!" Sora laughed, tossing the covers off his boyfriend and tugging on his arm. "I made pancakes." Riku's eyebrows rose.

"What?"

"Paaaancaaakes. You know, the—"

"I know what a pancake is, Sora. I'll be down in a sec," Riku said with a smile on his face. Sora smiled and gave the silver-haired boy a peck on the cheek before dashing downstairs.

------------------

When the dishes had been done—Riku had found out that having Sora around kept the house cleaner—the junior took Sora's hand and led him to a couch in the living room. Sitting down, Riku pulled the petite brunet into his lap.

"Sora, we need to talk about this, okay? I don't want to force you or anything, but it needs to happen," Riku prompted quietly. He felt Sora tense in his arms, and the younger boy buried his head into the crook of Riku's neck.

"No,_please no_," Sora whimpered.

"Sora, I need to know what's been going on, and Cloud needs to know, and I_know_ you haven't told your _best friend _yet. I'll be right here Sora, and I won't let your father hurt you anymore. Everyone's on your side," Riku whispered.

"Riku…I can't…I just _can't_," Sora cried. Riku sighed and wrapped his arms around the trembling boy, chastely pressing his lips to Sora's forehead.

"Yes, you can, Sora. I know you can. You're strong enough to do this," Riku whispered against Sora's skin. The brunet closed his eyes and leaned into Riku's embrace, trembling slightly less.

"What do you want to know?" The sophomore asked quietly, so quietly Riku wasn't sure if he heard correctly.

"Everything. When it started, how often, if you know why, what made it worse, what made it bearable, what did you do around the house for your parents...Why don't you start with those," Riku suggested. He felt Sora become tense again and he started wringing his shaking hands.

"I…Well, everything started about sixth grade. In the summer just before cross-country season started. My…my dad started telling me about how he was a runner—even though I already knew—and about how _I_ would be a runner as well. We'd go running together in the mornings and then once cross-country started up I'd go to practice after school. That was also the year that my dad's business started going downhill and he'd get into fights with mom over the money situation. At first mom didn't want to use her inheritance, but dad believed that the firm would get back on its feet soon. He and mom would spend more time working then, and I had to make breakfast and dinner and eat lunch at school. Then dad started running with me early in the mornings—he said it relieved stress—and I didn't have time to make breakfast anymore. So I just grabbed an apple and ate it on the way to school if I had time. About two months into my seventh grade year, five of my dad's clients canceled their business with him or something, and dad freaked out. He came home late that night and I had too much homework to make dinner. That was the first time that…that dad…that dad hit me. He said that if I told anyone he'd make sure I couldn't run anymore—and that meant something to me. So I stayed quiet. It wasn't serious though, and it'd only happen when dad was stressed out from work. Maybe once a month. Mom didn't seem to know about it then.

"When track season started dad put all his energy into making me the best…well, almost the best. I had to win at the track meets, and if I didn't he'd…hit me. A lot. I couldn't go out on Sunday's because of the bruises, and even then I had to wear long sleeves so my arms weren't visible. I'd hide any bruises on my face with concealer, so the kids at school wouldn't notice. Sometimes when dad was hitting me he'd tell me things like how I wasn't good enough for him, and how I could never be anything. He'd talk about how he shouldn't waste his time on me anymore because I didn't care. I hated that so _much_," Sora said, tears finally leaking out of his eyes. "I could _never_ be good enough for him, and all I wanted to do was make him proud of me. He never was. He doesn't even respect me anymore!

"I've always hated Saturdays because my dad would come to the meets; the better I did the less chance he'd hurt me. But if I had a few bad races he'd be furious. I hated going home with him on those days, knowing that he was mad at me and I couldn't do anything about it. He's always put running before me though, so I really wasn't surprised that this whole thing was happening. He just wanted the best for me…and I couldn't do it, Riku!" Sora cried, his shoulders shaking with his sobs.

"No, Sora. You were perfect; it's your father that couldn't do it. He didn't want the best for you; he wanted the best for _himself_. He would have done that no matter how well you did, Sora. It's not your fault…you didn't deserve any of that," Riku said firmly, forcing Sora to look into his eyes. "I promise you." Sora nodded a bit, although his eyes went back to his trembling hands. "Could you tell me a bit about this season, Sora? What happened recently?" Riku asked gently. Sora shrugged.

"I guess. It was really all the same. The first track meet—remember how you beat me in the eight-hundred by a second or something? —He didn't take that too well. The eight-hundred was his specialty, and he expected it to be mine as well, even though I'm better at the four-hundred. He let me go to the party—you saw that whole thing behind the school—but he said I should be home by six. I was ten minutes late. He…he threw me into the table after dinner that night…and…and…"

"That's how you got that concussion, wasn't it?" Riku spoke up. Sora nodded silently, a few more tears dripping from his jaw to his shoulders.

"I told you I was sick that Sunday, and I thought I was, but I guess it was just the concussion. At track the next day I started puking and I couldn't see anything and I think Cloud figured it out. He was asking me all these questions, but I was a little out of it and didn't really think much of it. I took the next day off from school, although I went running with my dad. By Saturday I was fine."

"What about that Saturday?"

"Nothing happened that night; dad had business stuff going on. But the week after...Sunday; I went running with you that day—that was fun—but when I got back dad was yelling at mom and she was yelling back…and he was really pissed off. I guess something happened with their business. He told me that we were running that night. I didn't have a choice, so I went, although I was tired from training and my nose was gushing blood because dad hit it before we started. We got to the park and he just…he started hitting me, and telling me I was worthless…and…and I don't remember much more because I passed out." Sora could see Riku becoming more furious with each word he spoke, and he wanted to stop, but something made him keep talking. "I came to about one in the morning and this guy was there. He was really cool—Vincent—and he gave me a ride home. I was pretty beat up, but I told him that a bunch of kids had jumped me. I think he believed me.

"On Wednesday Zexion saw me showering—I always shower after everyone's done so I'm alone. I don't know why he didn't take a shower earlier, but he saw me and knew that something was going on. Did you know he was…he was abused?" Sora asked Riku. Riku nodded.

"Yeah. That whole thing cleared up about a year ago. His father's in jail," The silver-haired boy answered.

"Yeah. Zexion figured it out…and I told him that my…my dad was hitting me…but then I freaked out and started yelling at him when he didn't say he wouldn't tell. I went to the beach that day and just ran. I met you at the docks that night," Sora said with a small smile.

"God, Sora. I'm sorry I didn't notice anything that day. I feel horrible," Riku said.

"It's not your fault. Cloud said he blames himself…but it's not his fault either. It's my dad's or mine…Anyway—"

"Sora, it's not your fault. It's Roy's. Don't blame yourself, because you never did anything to deserve that kind of treatment," Riku said.

"Cloud figured it out that night, or at least he came to get me," Sora continued, ignoring Riku's comment. "Vincent showed up again after you left and he gave me a ride home. I called Zexion to see if he was going to tell, but Leon picked up the phone and Zexion must have told him because he asked me if I was all right. I started yelling—I don't know why—and my dad came in. I dropped the phone, but didn't hang up, and Leon heard my dad through the phone. Well, I think he did, anyway. Dad started…hitting me…and about five minutes later someone knocked and he threw me down the stairs to get the door. I think I hit my head on the way down and woke up at Cloud's. And you know the rest," Sora finished softly, his sobs less frequent and his shoulders no longer shaking.

"I'm glad you're out of there, Sora. I can't imagine what kind of person would do that to you. I'm so sorry," Riku said, pulling Sora closer and pressing their cheeks together. He felt Sora's arms wrap around his neck, pressing their chests flush against each other.

"Don't be. It'll work out, I know it will," Sora said. Riku smiled at this boyfriend's optimism and turned his head a bit to capture Sora's lips in a soft kiss. The brunet responded quickly, moving his lips a bit faster and deepening their connection by opening his mouth just a bit.

Riku let his eyes close as he pushed his tongue through Sora's lips, tasting him and mapping out what would soon be familiar territory. Kissing Sora was everything he had ever dreamed about. Sweet and innocent, but there was still that hint of lust that Sora held within him sometimes. Conscious of Sora's bruises, Riku gently moved his hands up and down the brunet's torso, tracing muscles around to his back where he pulled Sora on top of him as he lay down. The smaller teen seemed surprised at the different position and pulled away to breathe, their eyes connecting.

"Sora…you're perfect," Riku said, his chest rising and falling quickly. The brunet smiled and shook his head, kissing the corner of Riku's mouth.

"No one's perfect, Riku," He whispered back, situating himself so he was straddling the juniors hips and leaning on his chest.

"You come damn close, then," Riku replied, bringing his hands up to Sora's hips and squeezing them before slipping up his shirt. "Does that hurt?" He checked, running his hands along Sora's spine. Sora shook his head.

"No, just be sort of gentle," He said, leaning back down to kiss Riku and putting his right hand on the teen's chest while his left was put next to Riku's head on the couch, supporting him.

-----------------

Axel walked down the street to Riku's house, hands shoved in his pockets and his thoughts on Roxas. His boyfriend had spent the night at his house last night, after calling Cloud of course, and then got up early to head to school on Destiny. The blond-haired boy's confession was still running through his head. It was unbelievable that Roxas had been raped by those two—not that Axel didn't believe him. It just seemed so…strange that Roxas would act normal after all that.

The possibility of a sexually transmitted disease had him worried because they were usually deadly viruses if they didn't show immediate symptoms. He knew that Roxas didn't have AIDS, because he'd be...dead, and he doubted the possibility of HIV as well because unless it was still in incubation inside Roxas's body, it would have been noticed. There was also the chance that Roxas had contracted something from intravenous needles, Axel remembered. The thought had him worrying all over again. How could Roxas have _done_ something like that? How could that fucker Marluxia _let him_?

Without knocking, Axel opened the door to the Hukia's house and stepped inside to see Riku and Sora making out on the couch. Sora was straddling Riku's hips with his hands sifting through Riku's hair, his torso supported by his elbows, which were on the couch near Riku's head. The silver-haired teen had one hand up Sora's shirt and the other clutching the smaller teen's rear, something Sora didn't seem to mind at all.

"Hate to interrupt…" Axel drawled with a smirk, watching as Riku immediately took his hands off Sora's bottom and out of his shirt, pulling it down a bit. Sora sat up, his face bright red and his chest rising and falling quickly.

"Axel! Fuck! What the hell are you doing here?" Riku exclaimed in surprise, grabbing Sora's arm to keep him in place when the sophomore tried to get up. Axel shrugged.

"Didn't feel like going to P.E., so I came here. That, and I haven't heard from you in a day. What the hell is Sora doing over here?" Axel asked.

"He's staying at my place for a few days," Riku answered for Sora, pulling the brunet down so he was lying on Riku's chest. "We've been having fun," Riku said, prompting Sora to start blushing all over again.

"Riku…" the sophomore whined. Axel laughed.

"Yeah, I can tell, Riku. Are you coming to track today?"

"Probably. We have a meet tomorrow anyway. Sora said he wanted to come too, so he might be there as well," Riku answered. Axel shrugged.

"Cool," He said, going into the kitchen to see if Riku had anything to eat in the fridge. Back on the couch Riku and Sora sat up and straightened themselves out before standing up and coming to join Axel. "Mini, Roxas asked about you yesterday," Axel mentioned. "I think he's a bit worried." Sora just shrugged.

"Yeah, I should probably call him. I sort of pulled a disappearing act the other day. Wait—you said you saw Roxas yesterday? Was he here?" Sora asked.

"Yeah, we went over to Tifa's. I was a little surprised you weren't there, Riku, but that makes sense now," Axel said, glancing at Sora and receiving a glare from the brunet.

"Cool. Have any fun?" Riku asked. Axel gave him a look, raising his eyebrows.

"You have no _idea_," He said, although he left out the interesting set of events that occurred after the party. "Actually, Tifa got really smashed and sort of hit on Roxas, but we worked it out," Axel finished, shrugging. Sora rolled his eyes at him and went back to the couch, turning on the TV and leaving Riku and Axel alone in the kitchen. "Seriously though, Riku, Roxas has this _amazing_tongue. You would not_believe_…" Axel commented. Riku held a hand up.

"Okay, I don't need to know anymore. Glad you had fun though. I should take Sora over to Zexion's place tomorrow after the meet; he'd have fun," Riku commented, remembering that Zexion had invited the team over to his and Leon's place on Saturday. Axel gave him a funny look.

"Sora? I can't see him as the party type," He commented skeptically. Riku shrugged.

"I know. But he loves dancing. At my party a few weeks ago we were dancing, and fuck, if you gave him five more minutes I would have been begging. And this is_ me_ talking, Axel," Riku said with a smirk. Axel just shook his head.

"Whatever, Riku. I'll believe it when I see it," He said, looking over to Sora who was curled up on the couch watching cartoons. Riku just laughed. "So, what _is_ Sora doing here? Roxas doesn't even know about it," Axel asked. Riku glanced once at Sora before answering in a quiet voice.

"Some serious shit happened to Sora and he can't stay at his place. So he's hangin' here until he gets back on his feet. He'll probably spend some time with Roxas over there, but for now he's with me. Don't talk about it though, okay?" Riku said. Axel's eyebrows rose but he stayed quiet and nodded his head.

"Sure, man," He said, giving Riku a smile.

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed it, even though this is posted so late. Sorry about that.

Any thoughts you may have and would like to share with me are welcome! (Review...hint hint). And a BIG, HUMOUNGOUS 'Thank You!!!!!!' to those few reviewers who really went above and beyond (you know who you are!)

Wykkyd


	23. Sooo Together

**A/N**: Sorry about the wait on this one—they were due to unpreventable and unexpected technical problems. So...speaking of technical difficulties, fanfiction's DocX program confuses the _hell_out of me, which is odd. I don't even remember being this mystified with something like this before, and I am officially humbled. My main question, is this: how can you get a betaed chapter/story from your DocX inbox onto your hard drive? The site says something about being able to download it...but I'm not seeing that ability...holds head

So...the first person who can give me a nice, simple, 'theoretical' walk-through of the DocX program on ff . net (including how to get documents from DocX to your hard drive and such) gets to read the next chapter within the week, if not in a day or two. If you are kind enough to help me out, but don't want to read the chapter ahead of time, just tell me in your pm or your comment. Thanks, guys, seriously. 

Okay...onto normal things like thanking betas (here's to you Bubble Master Califa, and Riku-stalker). And then onto the chapter itself...Enjoy!

* * *

**Track Season**

**Sooo Together**

Roxas looked up at his older brother and asked where they were going…for the millionth time. Cloud just shrugged as he stood up to get off the ferry. 

"What are we doing in Twilight Town?" Roxas asked, taking a few quick steps to meet Cloud's long stride. "And why do you need a suitcase?" 

"Roxas, we're going to Riku Hukia's house."

"What the hell? Why are we going there?" 

"Because I need to give this," Cloud held up the suitcase, "To Sora. I figured you might want a few answers, too," he finished, looking at his brother with an 'are-you-satisfied' look. Roxas fell silent, although he picked up his pace again. 

As soon as Riku opened the door Roxas barged in, pushing past the silver-haired junior and searching for Sora, who was standing at the top of the stairway. 

"Sora!" Roxas cried, rushing to his friend and pulling him into a tight hug. Sora winced at the pressure, reeling away from his friend and leaning on the railing, clutching his bruised shoulder. "Sora?" Roxas asked slowly. 

"Sorry…I'm a little…sore…" Sora replied with a weak smile. Cloud looked from one boy to the other and grabbed Riku by the arm. 

"You guys need to talk, okay? Me and Riku'll be..." Cloud trailed off when he realized that he didn't know the layout of the house. 

"Right here. You can use my room, I guess," Riku finished for Cloud, giving Sora an encouraging smile. He would have liked to be there for the brunet when he told his friend, but this was something that Sora needed to do on his own and Riku knew that. "Cloud, you can set Sora's stuff on the stairs and he can bring it up when they're done. Uh...want something to drink?" Riku asked. 

"Sure," Cloud responded, sitting down on the couch and falling into his thoughts. A minute later Riku came back with a can of Pepsi and handed it to him, sitting down in an armchair with one of his own. "How's it going with Sora?" Cloud asked, looking at Riku. 

"It's been fine. Surprisingly, he doesn't seem too shaken up. Thursday was a little hard, I guess, but he pulled through." 

"What was Thursday like, then?" Cloud persisted. Riku sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 

"I think he had trouble sleeping, and when I woke up around seven thirty his back was turned to me and he was crying. I decided to skip school for a few days to make sure he'd be okay. I helped him fix up some of his cuts and stuff, and for the rest of the morning he was very withdrawn. He cheered up around lunch, though. Zexion came over after school and took Polaroids for evidence, and that kinda shook him up, but since then he's been fine. I thought it seemed a little weird that he was so quiet and then back to normal just like that, but he wasn't faking anything. He must have been sorting out his thoughts," Riku answered. 

"Did you talk about what happened to him at all?" Cloud questioned. Riku nodded. 

"Just this morning. I thought he needed a day to get used to all of this. He told me about when the abuse started and all that this morning. It's…it's horrible that happened to him. I swear, if I ever see Roy Atari again…" Riku trailed off, his eyes blazing. Cloud nodded. 

"I know how you feel. I saw him last night when I went to get Sora's clothes, although I couldn't talk to him because I was afraid I'd do something stupid. I told him that he couldn't come to the meet tomorrow, though." 

"Good. Sora's planning on running, by the way," Riku said. "I think it would help him, actually." Cloud nodded. 

"I assumed as much. I'll talk to him about what events he wants to be in tonight. Has he been running at all?" Cloud asked. 

"He took Thursday off, but he ran with me at track today. God, he's fast," Riku commented with a smile. Just then the door to his room crashed open and Roxas rushed down the stairs, his face pale and furious. 

"Roxas, don't—" Cloud warned, getting to his feet, but Roxas was already outside, slamming the door hard a second before his brother spoke. Cloud saw Roxas running down the street through the window. "Shit, I did not think he'd react that way," he commented, running his hands through his hair. "I should go after him, make sure he doesn't start killing people." 

"No, Cloud. Let him go," Sora spoke softly, coming down the stairs and sitting next to Riku, who pulled him into a hug. 

"He's so damn impulsive…I swear, if he had stopped to think about things before doing them, he wouldn't have gotten into half the shit he has today," Cloud said with a laugh, swirling his Pepsi around in the can before taking a sip. Sora just rolled his eyes, stealing Riku's Pepsi. 

"Hey!" 

----------------- 

Rikku, Kairi, and Selphie knocked on the door to Tifa's house, moment later greeted by a tall, black-haired woman. 

"Hello Rikku," She said with a smile, looking at the other two girls. "These must be the two from Destiny Island? Well, come right in." The door was opened wide and the three girls stepped into the house, kicking off their shoes. "So what's planned for today?" Tifa's mother asked. Rikku smiled. 

"Can't say, it's a seeecret!" She sang, giving a wink to Kairi and Selphie. Tifa's mother rolled her eyes. 

"Alright, if you get hungry just ask Tifa, she knows she can get snacks." "Sure thing, Mrs. Lockheart! Thanks!" Rikku shouted, already heading up the stairs to her friend's room. "And don't stay late! Tifa's grounded!" The black-haired woman called after them. 

The three girls burst into Tifa's room, immediately making themselves comfortable. 

"You're grounded? Why?" Kairi asked, waving at the other girls in the room: Naminé, Yuffie, and Olette. Tifa groaned, flopping onto her bed. 

"The party. Someone broke this vase thing and mom kinda figured it out...I'm 'forbidden' to go anywhere but school for at least a week. She's pissed," Tifa explained. Kairi and Selphie nodded sympathetically and there was silence until Rikku broke in. 

"Guess what we saw on our way over here? Roxas, tearing down the street." Olette shrugged. 

"Axel lives right next door; he's probably going over there." 

"You can't see into Axel's window right now, can you? Because I'll bet you anything..." Selphie trailed off. Tifa shook her head. 

"Sorry, my only access to his window is if I climb out mine and then climb up to his. Not a good idea in this situation," She said. "Anyway...how about Demyx and Zexy? Together or not?" Tifa asked. The girls' eyes lit up. 

"Oh my gosh, they are so together!"

"You should have been there!" 

"It was sooo cute! You should have seen them!" 

"At first we thought they weren't gonna go for it—" 

"But then Demyx just—" 

"Grabbed him!" 

"Right there on the dock!" 

"Oh my gosh!" 

Tifa laughed at her friend's excitement. A stack of photos were tossed in her lap, depicting the event. 

"Well then, mission accomplished!" Tifa said with a smirk, passing around the pictures. 

----------------- 

Roxas had never run so hard in his life, or so he thought. He couldn't remember a time when his lungs were burning quite as much as they were when he fled from Riku's house after the shattering news that Sora had given him. He was Sora's fucking best friend. He had grown up with him, seen him every day for his entire life…and never knew, never even seen a possibility of Sora being abused. 

Roxas found a landmark he recognized in the neighborhood and took a right, sprinting down a road with box houses that looked the same until he came to the end of the road. He ran up to the red door and pounded on it as hard as his shaking hands would let him, his lungs working so hard they hurt. A tall woman with red hair opened the door, a smile on her face that turned into a worried expression when she recognized the boy on her doorstep. 

"Axel," Roxas choked out, his breathing speeding up instead of slowing down as it should have. Axel's mother ignored Roxas's request and dragged him inside, pushing him toward the couch and forcing him to lie down. 

"Breathe, kiddo," Axel's mother coaxed, leaning over the hyperventilating child. As Roxas's sporadic breathing began to even out the red-haired woman called loudly for her son. "Axel! Get down here now!" she commanded. Axel appeared at the top of the stairs, looking bored and annoyed, but his expression changed as soon as he saw Roxas shaking on the couch. 

"Roxas! What the fuck happened?" Axel cried, rushing down the stairs and going to his boyfriend's side, pulling him into a loose hug. Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel's neck, suddenly crying hard enough to impact his breathing. "Calm down, Rox," Axel whispered, looking up at his mother with worried eyes. She shrugged and shook her head helplessly before going to get a glass of water for the blond. While his mother was in the kitchen, Axel gently rubbed Roxas's back until he wasn't shaking so hard and his breathing was under control. "Here, drink this," Axel's mother said, handing a glass of water to Roxas who took it with a weak smile of thanks. 

"Are you alright?" she asked kindly. 

"I'll be okay. Thanks," Roxas said, his voice a bit raspy. 

"Shit, Roxas, what happened?" Axel asked, looking into the blond's blue eyes. 

"Sora…" Roxas whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. "Sora…he…I…" 

"Sora's fine, Roxas, I saw him yesterday," Axel said, confused. Roxas shook his head. 

"NO! He's not fine! He's never been 'fine'!" the blond exclaimed, turning away from Axel and wrapping his arms around his knees. Axel stared at the back of Roxas's head, thinking. "Some serious shit happened to Sora, and he can't stay at his place. So he's hangin' here until he gets back on his feet," Riku had told him the other day. Seeing the fragile state Roxas was in, Axel didn't ask any more questions, but he slung an arm around Roxas's shoulder and tried to give him as much comfort as he could. 

------------------- 

Roxas made his way back to Riku's house as slowly as he could with Axel tugging on him. 

"Roxas, if you don't hurry your ass up, I'm going to carry you over there!" The red-head senior exclaimed with a smirk. Roxas just rolled his eyes and smacked Axel on the arm, although he did begin to move faster. "So…" Axel began, his tone serious all of a sudden. Roxas braced himself. "About this whole STD thing…" 

"Oh, that…right," Roxas said glumly, his eyes downcast. 

"Yeah, that. I think you should come over here sometime next week, or Sunday or something, and get tested. My mom's clinic'll do it for you," Axel said. Roxas sighed, wrapping his arms around himself. "Hey…" Axel consoled. 

"Axel…you don't have to do this for me…don't feel like you're obligated just because you promised. I'd be okay if you…if you took back your promise. I know that this whole thing is sort of a lot to ask," Roxas said softly. Axel halted next to him, slipping a slim arm around Roxas's waist and pulling him to a stop as well. 

"Roxas, that's bullshit. If someone trustworthy promises something, it's because they mean it. I fucking meant it, and I still do. Also, you're my boyfriend, and I don't want you to do this alone. If you're going to do it with anyone, I want it to be me," Axel said firmly, sealing his words with a quick kiss on Roxas's lips. The blond smiled a bit. 

"Thanks…thanks a lot. It…means something to me. I don't know what, but something," Roxas said. At his words, the tall red-head broke out into a smile, turning to Roxas and pulling him into a hug as his pressed his face into the shorter boy's neck. Roxas laughed, his eyes lighting up and he put his own arms around his boyfriend's shoulders and gave Axel a strong squeeze. As the two released each other, Roxas stepped back, smirking at Axel. "Race you to Riku's," he said, breaking into a sprint with a laugh. 

"Son of a _bitch_!" Axel yelled behind him, his sprinter's legs carrying him into action. 

The two arrived at Riku's with Axel yanking on Roxas's arm to prevent him from getting there first and both of them laughing hard enough to choke. Sora came to the door with a smile; inviting both kids in and leaving the door open for them. Roxas found that his older brother had left about half an hour ago to deal with track records and names in preparation for tomorrow.

"Hey guys. Get sick of making out at your place and decide to come over to mine?" Riku asked with a smirk, making Roxas blush and Axel nod with a smirk of his own. Sora just rolled his eyes and flopped back onto the couch—gently. He saw Roxas glancing at him with a concerned look, his friend's blue eyes resting on his shirt-covered torso. The brunet gave his best friend a smile and waved him over; the blond moved to hesitantly sit on the couch next to Sora. 

"What's up?" Roxas asked quietly, bringing his eyes up to meet Sora's. 

"Do you feel guilty? I mean, about all this?" Sora asked. Roxas paused for a moment, not sure where this was going. He shrugged. 

"Sora, I've been your best friend since we were in fucking pre-school, I know you inside and out…or at least, I thought I did. Then I find out that you're dad hits you, and I realize that I didn't have a clue. I feel bad that I didn't notice that, but I guess a part of me is wondering if I wasn't paying enough attention." 

"What do you mean?" Sora asked, his face puzzled. 

"I mean…since eighth grade I…maybe I changed a bit. More than just getting older. I think I might have stopped looking at people and seeing what was actually there, instead just looking and seeing what I wanted to see. I thought I—" 

"Well, that's understandable. You definitely had an eye-opening experience with Marluxia's gang, so it'd make sense that you wouldn't want to find out if there were other manipulative people out there. So you simply stopped looking...I don't know, Roxas, I'm not a shrink, but I like you the way you are now and I liked you before all that shit. Everything will be okay now, at least, that's what it feels like," Sora said reassuringly, giving his best friend a true smile. Roxas smiled back, although his was smaller than Sora's, but he seemed to relax as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Sora said everything would be okay…he sure hoped Sora was right. 

"Roxas, Cloud just called. He wants you home soon," Riku called from the kitchen counter as he put the phone down. Roxas nodded and stood up. 

"Okay, I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow at the meet then. See ya," Roxas said, moving to the door to slip his shoes on. Sora jumped up after him, throwing his arms around Roxas's shoulders and pulling him close. 

"Thanks, Roxas. You're a great friend," Sora said, giving Roxas another squeeze before letting go. Roxas stood there for a moment, a bit shocked, but then he gave Sora a smile. 

"You too, Sora. You too," he said, putting his shoes on and waving to the three kids in the house. "I'll call you, Axel," he called just before stepping outside. The door shut a few seconds later, Axel's triumphant laughter spilling out onto the street. 

------------------- 

Roxas was surprised to find Cloud sitting on the couch rearranging a series of photos on the coffee table when he got home. He had expected his brother to be in bed—it was almost one in the morning, and there was a track meet tomorrow. Oh crap. The meet. He needed a good night's sleep. 

"Hey Rox," Cloud said solemnly, looking away from the pictures. Roxas dropped his backpack on the floor and sat down in the armchair, glancing down at the pictures. Bruised and cut skin, swollen muscles, faint scars. He cringed. Somewhere in the back of his mind he noticed that they were situated just as they had been when Cloud had first showed up at their house a few years ago. 

"Are you okay?" the older Strife child asked his brother, looking right into Roxas's eyes. The sophomore sighed and sank further down into the chair. 

"One week ago, if you had told me that one of my friends was being…abused…and told me to name that person, I wouldn't have even considered Sora. How fucking horrible is that! Roy's been beating the shit out of Sora for four fucking years and I had no fucking idea!" Roxas said, his voice getting louder. Cloud stayed silent. "He's my best friend, Cloud, and I couldn't even tell! I mean, how many times have I seen him with strange bruises and lame excuses for them and blew it off? Like, two weeks ago he had this bruise on his forehead…and he said his just hit his head on something, and I was like, 'Sure, Sora. Go to the nurse, you'll be fine.' He never showered with the team; I've never even seen his chest, even when he stays over here he changes alone. He doesn't change with the team in the locker room! We would all tease him about it! What kind of friend does that make me, Cloud? I can't even figure it out when my fucking best friend's dad is hurting him? Really, really hurting him?" Roxas shouted, his hands tugging on his hair. Cloud's face was grim and stone-like, emotionless. 

"It makes you just like the rest of us, Roxas. No one noticed until now; it's not your fault, it's not mine. It's not anyone's fault," Cloud whispered solemnly. 

"I know, but I still feel horrible," Roxas choked out, his anger leaving him with a rush of guilt. 

"So do I Roxas," Cloud replied, running his left hand through his hair. "What did he tell you tonight?" 

"Everything. You know, he should be a lot more screwed up then he is, Cloud. It was a little hard for him to talk about it, but he's not as…different as I thought an abuse victim would be," Roxas commented. Cloud shrugged. 

"Maybe, but this has been happening for four years. He's had time to adjust, which is what he's done. He's almost accustomed to it; but there are side effects of this, subconscious ones. Sora doesn't really realize that he's showing these traits," Cloud said. Roxas looked up at his older brother. 

"What traits?" He asked, worried all over again. "You know, he hates it when people pull on him and he becomes submissive if you're very insistent about something. He avoids eye contact if you're frustrated with him, but if you're yelling at him he looks right at you. He jumps if you startle him, but it's more of a violent flinch. If he's nervous he flinches at contact as well. Sora does have a few issues, and I don't know if we'll be able to help him get over those, or if they'll always be with him. I guess we just have to be optimistic," Cloud finished. Roxas didn't look comforted by his brother's last words, and Cloud sighed. "Roxas, we can't bring him down. He's been dealing with this for four years, which is horrible, but it happened. Sora doesn't want four years to ruin his life. It's a shock to us, but we can't become so fixated on it that if Sora's okay we don't even realize he's doing alright, that he's coping. Do you see where I'm coming from?" Roxas nodded silently. 

"I'm going to go to bed. Get me up tomorrow for the meet," Roxas said, standing up and moving up the stairs. Cloud heard his brother's door shut several moments later and sighed. Tomorrow would be interesting. Between Roxas, Axel, Sora, Riku, Leon, Zexion, and Sephiroth…there was plenty to be worried about.

* * *

Well, now is as good a time as any to tell you how many chapters left until the end. So...I'll be posting seven more after this one. Last chapter is chapter 30. If you guys are thinking you might want an epilogue (basically a one-chapter type thing that really, really wraps things up) just note it in a comment. Right now I'm not planning on doing one, but my mind could be changed _very _easily. I love writing epilogues.

Leave a comment if you liked the chapter, hated it, anything. Thanks for reading!

Oh, I have this bad feeling that I forgot to respond to someone who wrote a lovely comment on chapter 22, so if that person is you, then I'm very sorry about that. Thanks for the comment, though!

Wykkyd 


	24. Of All Rooms

**A/N: **Thanks for all comments! I should let people know that I'm not responding to every single comment I get. The ones I respond to are the ones that either a) ask a question, b) point out something that needs to be fixed, c) make an in-depth comment about the story, the plot, the characters etc. d) or flame me (I wouldn't recommend this, as my replies dwindle in politeness as far as flames go. Critique is fine, but we'll keep it constructive!) Another thing to say to all of you: I _totally _don't mind if you want to reply to one of my replies to your comments (can you make sense out of that?!). I love discussing things with people, about this story or any other, plot lines, characters…anything!

And of course, the ever-present gratitude to my betas Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker.

And sorryforlateness! (cringe)

Oh, and one more thing (last one, I promise). I'm going over my profile today and I will be **re-doing** it and **updating** everything. There's a few **important** things some of you might want to know and I'd really recommend checking it out.

**

* * *

**

Track Season

…**Of All Rooms…**

"The five-thousand will begin in five minutes, everyone. If we could have all the runners line up within the next two," an announcer yelled into a megaphone, her whiny voice carrying across the field. Roxas looked up to Axel, whose arms were draped around him.

"I gotta go, Axel," he said, slipping out of the redhead's grasp. Axel smirked.

"I'll be watching," he said with a wink; Roxas rolled his eyes and walked away, laughing a bit. He heard Sora call 'good luck' to him from where the brunet was standing with Hayner, Olette, and Rikku a few yards away. The blond smiled his thanks and went to get into line.

Sora watched as his best friend started his race. Roxas was two lanes from the inside of the track, Zexion being the closest one to the inside. The junior would probably win this race, but Sora knew Roxas would be close on his tail. Someone came up behind Sora and he felt lips moving up the back of his neck, around to his jaw line, hands sliding around to rest on his hips.

"Hey Riku," he greeted, turning his head a bit to get an _actual_ kiss from his boyfriend.

"Hi Sora," Riku responded with a smirk after releasing the boy's lips slowly. "Ready for the sixteen hundred?" Sora nodded, leaning into Riku's arms.

"Yup. I'm excited. Really excited," Sora replied. Riku smiled and held Sora a little tighter, happy that his boyfriend was content. The junior let his eyes roam over the crowd of parents and other kids, searching for any familiar faces. He spotted Axel watching Roxas and Zexion, and Demyx talking, a few kids that he knew were on Sora's team…suddenly his eyes locked onto a tall man who was staring right at the two of them. He froze, unconsciously holding Sora even closer to him and wrapping both arms around the brunet's middle. Sora didn't seem to notice Riku's protective gesture, distracted by Roxas's race.

"Sora, I think Kairi and Selphie are waving you over there, let's go say hi," Riku said, moving Sora away from his father's stare. Sora brightened at Riku's words, untangling himself from the silver-haired boy's arms and rushing over to his friends. Riku followed after him at a jog, noticing that Sora managed to avoid both girls' hugs with a few quick steps and well placed greetings. The junior glanced back to where Mr. Atari was staring intently at his son, seeing the man move a bit and disappear into the throng of people. _Shit, _he thought, making sure that Sora was surrounded by his team members before slipping off the find Cloud or Leon. He didn't like the idea of Roy Atari being there at all.

Cloud and Leon were found near the finish line for the five-thousand, talking quietly to each other and glancing between Sora and Hallow Bastion's coach.

"Leon! Cloud!" Riku shouted, sprinting over to them. Both men looked at him, their faces blank. "Roy Atari's here," Riku said quickly. There was a moment of silence between the three of them before Cloud and Leon exploded.

"What?! I fucking _told _that bastard that I would rip his _head_ off if he showed up today," Cloud bit out, his eyes turning stormy.

"I don't believe that man. Let's go find him, Cloud, we need to get him out of here before he gets his hands on Sora, or Sora sees him," Leon said, grabbing Cloud's arm and tugging him away. Riku began walking over to Axel, who had been watching the exchange, they met halfway.

"What's up, Riku?" he asked.

"Roy Atari shit. Listen, keep Sora away from his dad, okay? Maybe if you ask Roxas he'll tell you more about it, but right now just make sure that Sora's away from his dad," Riku said. Axel looked at his friend curiously, but nodded.

"Is everything okay?" the redhead checked, turning to look at Roxas who was running a close second to Zexion.

"Yes and no. It's complicated. Sorry, Axel, you'll find out later though, promise," Riku assured, falling into silence to watch the race.

--

"Are you Mr. Atari? As in, the famous track star?" a low, sultry voice said behind him. Roy turned around to come face-to-face with a tall, silver-haired man with bright green eyes. He put a smile on his face and held out his hand.

"Yes, that would be me. Call me Roy. And you are…?" Roy asked.

"Sephiroth. I'm the coach for Hollow Bastion," the man answered, his tone confident and haughty. Roy nodded.

"Ah yes, strong sprinters your kids are," Mr. Atari commented. Sephiroth grinned at the comment, nodding his head and glancing to where his team was sitting on the sidelines, sneering at anyone who came too close.

"Well, I try my best. You have a son on the Destiny Island team, correct?" the track coach asked. Roy stiffened visibly, his mouth tightening to a thin line. He nodded tensely, but Sephiroth didn't seem to buy into it. "Is there tension between you and him?" Roy glared at the man in front of him, not approving of the invasion.

"No, I love my son very much. But a certain assistant _track coach_ began meddling with my family and has deemed it safer for my son to reside with another family," Roy snapped, his brow furrowing as he looked back to Sora. Sephiroth followed his gaze and let his eyes rest on the young boy who was talking animatedly with his team, showing no notion that he knew his father was there.

"I'm so sorry. It must be incredibly painful to lose a child due to a false accusation," Sephiroth purred, his voice thick with false sympathy. Roy nodded, rubbing his forehead.

"I…I miss him," Roy admitted.

"I know that feeling well," Sephiroth commented, letting a sad smile slip onto his face. Roy looked up at him.

"Do you have children?" Roy asked. Sephiroth shook his head.

"No, I lost someone close to me a year or so back, though. I…loved that person very much," Sephiroth said, still smiling sadly. Roy looked sympathetic…_Good_.

"A lover, perhaps?" Roy guessed.

"Yes. He lives on Destiny Island now, but he hasn't called me back when I left messages on his phone. Perhaps it was the wrong number, but I can't be sure," Sephiroth mentioned.

"I live on Destiny, surely I know her," Roy stated.

"Him, actually." Sephiroth didn't miss the barely concealed look of shock on Roy's face at his words, but he continued. It would work out regardless of Mr. Atari's prejudices. "Yes, him. And perhaps you do know him: Cloud Strife?" he asked, searching Roy's face carefully. The other man's expression darkened for a moment.

"Of course, he would be the man who so rudely barged into my family, actually," Roy ground out, his eyes angry. Sephiroth nodded in understanding.

"I don't know what Cloud was thinking, it's so unlike him." The silver-haired man heard Roy snort, but ignored it. "You know, perhaps we could help each other," Sephiroth suggested with false thoughtfulness.

"How so?" Roy asked, his eyes suspicious and narrowed. Sephiroth smiled.

"If you can get Cloud to meet with me—he won't wish to though, so it will have to be done discreetly—then I'm sure I can convince him to drop any accusations against you and return Sora to your family. What do you say?" Sephiroth caught a strange glint in Roy's eye at the prospect of having his son back, something demanding and almost cruel, but fearful as well. He brushed it aside. He wanted Cloud; he could care less what happened to the boy.

"I think you're idea is suitable. Perhaps we could talk details tomorrow, in the afternoon?" Roy asked. Sephiroth looked thoughtful.

"I have appointments I must attend tomorrow, perhaps after the awards ceremony at that nice little coffee shop I saw coming from the docks?" The silver-haired man proposed. Roy smiled, offering his hand which Sephiroth took with a bit of reluctance.

"How about four thirty at Grenny's, that café you were mentioning," Roy said.

"Good. It was a pleasure meeting you, Roy."

"Have a nice day," Mr. Atari said, turning his back and walking through the crowds. He caught sight of a furious blond man walking towards him with a brunet in tow and veered off to the right towards the parking lot. No need for drama today...it was obvious he wouldn't be able to get Sora alone with Cloud and his friends here.

--

Sora found that running was so much easier without the knowledge that his father was there, that threatening gaze promising the beating to come if Sora didn't win. As usual, Sora found that his main competition came from his boyfriend, and the two raced neck-and-neck through all the races, each taking turns with first place, but only by a second or two.

The four-hundred meter relay was a success for Sora's team: while they didn't come in first, their team performed as a unit better than ever. When Sora sprinted over the finish line Roxas gave him a quick, one-armed hug and let Riku step in. Sora caught his breath as Riku held him, whispering congratulations in his ear.

"Great run, Mini!" Axel said, clapping Sora lightly on the back and smiling at the small brunet. Sora smiled back, his chest heaving as he looked around Riku's body for his water bottle. Kairi saw him looking at it and grabbed it, handing it to him with her own congratulations.

"Guys, guys, guys! Um…you four…I have my camera! Here, stand next to each other, yeah. Where's Reno? RENO! You can't escape this picture; get the hell over here! Seifer, you're a bastard, but you can be in the picture too. Scoot in you guys! No….still too wide…here, Demyx, pick Sora up—"

"What!? I don't think so, Selphie. Ah…Demyx, put me down!" The Destiny High team erupted into laughter along with the members of Twilight Town. A flash went off, and the girls crowded around Selphie's camera, laughing even harder when they saw the picture. Sora dropped to the ground and pushed his way to Selphie, squeaking when he saw the picture. Seifer was standing there reluctantly; a glare on his face, and Demyx had his arms around Sora, halfway between successfully picking him up and dropping him. Reno was laughing at the two of them, his hands on his knees and his red hair flying through the air as he turned his head. Axel, Roxas, Riku, and Zexion could be seen in the background, each laughing along with everyone else.

"Blackmail!" Kairi shrieked with a gleeful squeal, grabbing Selphie's camera and running over to her friends from Neverland. "Guys! Look at this!" Sora stood back from the scene, a smile on his face. The picture really wasn't really that bad; he didn't care.

"Let's go get the showers before everyone else," Roxas suggested, grabbing his backpack from the pile of the team's gear. Before long, a group of six boys were hauling their stuff down to the school to claim the showers. Sora hung back a few steps, watching his friends talking and laughing with each other. He had never felt so at home, even with Kairi, Roxas, Selphie and the other kids from his hometown. There was something about Axel's loud and joking nature, Demyx's active spirit, Riku's calm and confident presence, Roxas's sarcastic wit, and Zexion's silent but firm support that seemed to hold him to the ground without even trying. Roxas dropped back with him, slipping out from Axel's grip around his waist.

"You okay, Sora?" Roxas asked quietly. Sora gave him a true smile, his eyes shining and his whole face lighting up. Roxas smiled back, glad to see the spark in his friend's eye.

"I've never been better. Really," Sora said, still smiling. "You guys are great, it's just…well, thank you Roxas. For everything," Sora said. Roxas shrugged.

"Call us even then," he replied, giving Sora a look. The brunet wrapped an arm around his best friend in complete understanding.

"You're the best, Roxas."

"No, Sora, you are. I could never go through what you have and still smile like that," Roxas said truthfully.

"I've had a lot of support from everyone," Sora said softly. Roxas nodded.

"So…are you going to hang out until everyone's showered, then?" Roxas asked, looking into Sora's blue eyes. Sora smiled and shook his head.

"No. Unless you think I should. I mean, you, Riku, and Zexion already know anyway. So that only leaves Demyx and Axel, and I trust them."

"You'll have to explain, you know. Are you…I dunno…ready for that?" Roxas asked hesitantly.

"We'll find out, I guess. I'd like them to know, though. Demyx is my friend, I've known him forever, and Axel, well…if _you _trust him, I can too," Sora said. Roxas's eyes lit up at Sora's words, glad that his best friend was no longer worried about Axel and him dating. Roxas pulled his friend into a hug, forcing them to a stop, their sneakers squealing on the tiles in the hall. The noise caught the other four's attention, and they turned to see Roxas squeezing the life out of Sora, the brunet blushing awkwardly.

"That sort of hurts, Roxas," Sora breathed, holding back a wince. Roxas immediately released him, apologizing with a concerned expression. Sora waved it off, giving Roxas a forgiving smile as he went to catch up with the others.

"Come on guys, I'm _not_ sharing the showers with Hollow Bastion," Sora joked, provoking the six friends into a mad dash down the hall, laughing.

--

Kairi re-shouldered her track bag, turning her camera off as she did so. The photo of the Destiny and Twilight Town teams hadn't quite turned out as embarrassing as she had hoped, but it was still a cute picture. She made a mental note to have it printed and give a copy to her friends on the team. Selphie bounded up on her left, also sporting her bag over one shoulder.

"Showers already? You don't want to hang out with everyone first?" the brunette asked. Kairi shrugged and flashed her friend a smile.

"We'll see everyone later. I want to get to the showers before there's a huge wait." Selphie nodded.

"And the other bright side is that the other girls can't play the 'your boobs are that _little_?!' game," she said, her voice cheerful. Kairi snorted.

"I swear some of them shouldn't even be _running _with the things hanging off their chest. It's such a ridiculous plea to get guys to stare at them," she mentioned. Selphie laughed.

"To be honest, I don't think it's doing them all that much good. Not that I'm paying attention to all that but..."

Kairi and Selphie swung around the corner of the school to walk right into someone.

"Sorry!"

"Wow! Are you alright?" the girls exclaimed. They looked down at the unsuspecting victim who was now sitting on the ground. Glaring green eyes stared back at them.

"It would benefit you two to watch where you're going," he snapped, standing up and flicking long siver hair over his shoulder. "And I sincerely doubt you're truly 'sorry'." With another toss of his hair he sauntered off.

"Ass_hole_," Kairi sneered, hands on hips.

"I would totally pin him up as a child molester. Wouldn't run on his team if he _paid _me," Selphie commented as the two began walking again. There was a moment of silence before she spoke again. "Plus, he dresses like a male prostitute. Did you see how _tight _those jeans were?"

"_Selphie_!"

--

Sora could feel Riku's eyes on him as he shoved his backpack into a locker, taking out his towel and clean change of clothes. Axel and Roxas were figuring out a way to shove a bench underneath the doorknob to keep the door shut and effectively locked.

Riku moved over to his boyfriend and placed his hands on Sora's shoulders gently, conscious of the bruises.

"Hey, I'm here for you, and Roxas is, and so is Zex, even though it may not seem like it," Riku whispered in Sora's ear. As if on cue, Zexion gave Sora a small salute, smiling at him. Sora felt himself smile back, although it was more of a reflex than an actual smile. He looked back to Riku. "It'll be fine, Sora. Just make sure that you're ready for this, okay?" Riku said. Sora nodded.

"I want them to know. Axel won't…I don't know…he won't tell anyone, right?" Sora asked. He trusted Roxas's opinion, but he wanted one more person to verify. Riku gave him an assuring smile.

"He won't tell anyone. And on the off-chance he does, I don't think I'd ever speak to him again. Promise," Riku swore. Sora laughed and shook his head.

"You don't have to do that. Roxas said similar things though, so I'm not too worried."

"Good," Riku said, before leaning in and kissing Sora for a moment.

"Riku and Sora…sittin' in a tree—"

"Shut the fuck up, Axel!" Roxas said, shoving his boyfriend fully-clothed into the showers and turning the cold water on.

"_FUCK_!" Axel yelled, scrambling out of the water and lunging at the short blond, a playful glare on his face. In a tangle of arms and legs the two crashed to the floor, their clothes instantly soaked. Demyx rushed in to turn all the showerheads on, diving in with them afterwards, his green and white track shorts the only thing he was wearing. Sora saw Zexion strip off his shirt, his blue eyes immediately picking out the faint scars on the junior's back before Zexion rushed into the water, laughing as Demyx grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the floor. Riku followed suit, pulling his shirt over his head and grabbing Sora's arm.

"Come on, Sora!" He said, pulling Sora into the fray. "Just be careful," Riku finished, before pulling the two of them under the water.

"Riku! All my clothes are on!" Sora squealed.

"So? You match _me_, Mini," Axel laughed, shoving Zexion off of him and grabbing Roxas. Sora felt Riku's arms around him and Demyx pulling on his soaked shirt and gave in, tackling his boyfriend in the steaming room.

Five minutes later all six boys were lying on the floor, the water pounding into them as they caught their breath, still laughing quietly. After another few moments Zexion spoke up.

"We need to hurry up and get dressed before some bastard from Hollow Bastion decides to smash through the door," he said, pulling hair out of his face. Sora nodded, pushing himself up with a smile and tugging absentmindedly on his shirt. Axel peeled off his shirt, throwing it with a snap across the room, spraying more water over everyone. "Come on, get _up_ and shower guys," Zexion said, pulling Demyx to his feet as he stood up himself. Roxas grabbed Axel's hand after the redhead had stood up, pulling himself into a standing position and moving directly under a showerhead.

"Did anyone bring shampoo or anything?" he asked.

"Yeah; I'll go grab it," Sora answered, leaving the shower room and going back to his locker. Riku glanced at Zexion, who shrugged before closing his eyes for a second, taking a deep breath.

"He'll be fine, Riku," he spoke softly. Axel and Demyx looked over at him, and Roxas slammed his head into the pole the showerhead was attached to.

"_Zexion_," he rebuked, glaring at the junior.

"What are you talking about? _Who's_ going to be fine?" Demyx asked. There was a moment of silence during which Zexion glanced to Riku and Roxas. Demyx and Axel shared a confused look.

"Fuck, Zexion, _who's _going to be fine?" Axel asked.

"_I _am."

Axel stared. He knew it was rude, but you couldn't walk into a room without a shirt on and looking like an anorexic stick that was painted with blue and purple finger paint and expect much else. Sora stood in the room several yards away from them, his eyes connecting with Zexion's. Axel glanced at Roxas, wondering what his reaction would be. The blond was purposely looking away from his best friend, eyes pointed towards the opposite wall. Demyx was staring just as hard as Axel was, but the blond sprinter seemed to be sneaking glances at Zexion every other second. Riku was looking at his boyfriend with a sad smile, leaving Zexion the only one who would—_could—_look Sora directly in the eyes.

"Sora…" Demyx whispered, still looking at the hideous bruises covering Sora's torso and upper arms. The petite brunette shrugged, holding up the shampoo bottle and tossing it to Roxas, who just barely managed to catch it.

"Um…maybe we should finish showering, and then I'll tell you on the way back to Zexion's place," Sora suggested, letting a hand rest on his shoulder with the worst bruise, covering it self-consciously.

"You're okay though, right?" Axel asked, still in shock. Sora nodded with a smile.

"I've never been better, guys," he said, sharing a look with Roxas. "They don't hurt that much anymore, just whenever you press on them really hard," Sora finished, going over to shower next to Riku.

"So they used to be worse?" Demyx asked, not really wanting to know the answer. Sora nodded glumly. Still not taking his eyes off Sora, Axel held his hand out to Roxas, motioning for the shampoo. Demyx walked a bit closer to Sora, after asking him if he could look at his bruises. Sora looked uncomfortable, but nodded when Riku slipped an arm around his waist and pulled them close together.

Demyx couldn't help but notice the fingerprint and fist marks around Sora's arms and collar bone, the bruises that could have been caused by a foot around Sora's stomach. This was more than some bully…it wasn't Seifer. Seifer wouldn't do something like this: he liked blood, and there were no cuts on Sora's torso, nothing that would bleed. Demyx looked back up into Sora's face, noticing that the water dripping from Sora's face exposed a shallow bruise on his right cheekbone.

"Fuck, Sora. We should have noticed," Demyx whispered. Sora shook his head.

"I didn't want you to find out, so it's fine. I mean, its okay that you know, I just…I don't want things to be different," Sora said softly, addressing everyone in the room.

"Sora, we're here for you, okay? Now…I think someone's banging on the door," Demyx said, smiling a bit. Everyone paused to listen for a moment. Demyx was indeed right, someone very angry was pounding at the door and yelling, but the words were unintelligible.

"_FUCK!_ We have to _go_ guys," Riku shouted, streaking out of the water and pulling Sora with him. The other four followed him, the shampoo forgotten on the floor. Each grabbed towels and dried themselves off as much as possible, stripping off their shorts and changing into dry boxers and pants, yanking their shoes on after that. Sora threw a shirt over his bruised torso, but everyone else just slammed the clothing article in their bags, intent on changing into them later.

"We can't go out that door, not without someone trying to kill us," Demyx said, an amused spark in his eye.

"Let's go through the pool entrance, we'll be able to find our way out there," Roxas suggested, pointing towards another door marked 'Pool'. There was another bang on the door, combined with several people yelling loudly.

"Sure, Blondie. Sounds good," Axel said, grabbing his track bag and running over to the door, yanking it open. The others streamed out after him, laughing at the fading yells from out in the hall.

"Now where do we go?" Zexion asked, looking at the hall. The pool was nowhere in sight. Riku shrugged and started walking to their left. A moment later they heard a loud crash coming from the boys' locker room, and a moment after that the door into the pool hall opened, a large and pissed off runner from Hollow Bastion glaring at them.

"We could totally take him," Axel commented, smirking. Zexion rolled his eyes and grabbed Axel's arm, pulling him down the hall.

"I sort of need to get this party thing set up with Leon, and he and Cloud are our rides, so we need to get the fuck outta here. That, and we don't want to take on the entire Hollow Bastion team," Zexion said.

"Well spoken," Demyx agreed, skidding to a halt when he noticed a door. Without looking at the sign he pushed it open, letting the rest of the boys through the door before he followed. High pitched shrieks erupted when Axel and Roxas led the six of them into the room. "Oh shit…of all fucking rooms…" Demyx said before bursting into laughter all over again. Riku wrapped his hands around Sora's eyes.

"You _really_ don't need to see this, Sora," The silver-haired boy said with a laugh.

"Let's just get out of here," Roxas squeaked, doing his best to not look at the girls who were desperately covering themselves with towels and various pieces of clothing.

"Sora! What do you think you are _doing_?" Kairi shouted, a towel wrapped firmly around her body and a bright blush on her cheeks.

"Sorry Kairi, we sort of needed an escape route. _Okay_…we're leaving," Sora said, fighting Riku's hands off his eyes so he could sprint out of the room. Girls' shouts followed them out the door of the girls' locker room and down the hall towards the school's main lobby.

Leon and Cloud were waiting for the six boys with their arms crossed just outside the front doors in silence. Cloud didn't find it an awkward silence per say, but it didn't feel like a comfortable silence between friends, either. It was just silence. He realized that he really hadn't spoken to Leon since a few nights ago when he had stayed the night. It didn't seem as if Leon was angry with him, the two had been exchanging glances practically all day, but Cloud didn't like the silence between them. _So? It's not like he's your fucking boyfriend,_ Cloud told himself with a bit of frustration. _He _should_ be, _he thought. Yet he'd get nervous whenever Leon kissed him; wasn't it better just to _not_ kiss him, then worry about if that would be the last time that person _ever_ kissed him? Wasn't it better to _not_ take that risk again, then try again and end up in the same place he was when Sephiroth was gone for the first week or so?

Cloud sighed, rubbing his forehead and letting his hands move back to pull his spiky hair from his eyes. Leon looked over at him.

"You okay?" he asked casually. Cloud nodded.

"Yeah, just thinking."

"About what?" Cloud looked up at Leon, not expecting that question. When he had met Leon, he had just taken whatever Cloud had given him, not really asking questions if he didn't need too. Cloud just shrugged.

"Little bit of everything, I guess," the blond answered. Leon moved a bit closer to him, stopping just several inches from Cloud.

"Like what?" Leon pressed, bringing a hand up to Cloud's chin and tilting the blond's head up so Leon could look into Cloud's eyes. They flicked away from him as Cloud shrugged.

"Sephiroth, I guess. Sora. Roxas. _You_," Cloud answered, trying to lower his head. Leon held it firmly in place.

"Me?" Leon whispered, his voice soft and almost concerned. Cloud looked back up, into Leon's eyes.

"I'm confused, Leon. I know you like me. But it's still hard to just…_let_ myself like you. I keep thinking that something could happen, I guess. I don't want to be one of those lame people who don't ever go out with anyone because of one bad experience, but I understand where they are coming from. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't see Sephiroth every week or so, but every time I see him it's like I remember everything we were, and how he was just acting. I don't know why he did it…I don't think I want to, actually," Cloud whispered, sighing and shifting to step back from Leon. The brunet grabbed his shoulders, pulling them into a one-armed hug.

"I can't think of anything I can do to prove to you that I'm not like Sephiroth, but whenever you're ready, I'll be here, Cloud. I can wait," Leon said into Cloud's hair.

"Yeah, this is where I start sounding _really _fucked up," Cloud said, a small smile on his face. Leon looked confused. "Look, Leon. It's not that I need to _wait_, it's just…I need to get over the fear that you could screw me over like Sephiroth did. I don't _want_ to wait, because I like you too much to do that, but I need to…to sort things out, I guess. I'm okay with being with you, Leon. I might need some space sometimes, but I'm willing to try," Cloud finished. He felt Leon's lips slid over his cheek and capture his own lips for a moment before pulling back.

"Sounds good, Cloud. You just made my night a whole lot better," Leon said with a smirk. Cloud punched him in the arm, laughing.

"You're a bastard, Leon. But I sort of like that," he said. Just then six high-school boys came tearing out of the building, breathing heavily and laughing so hard they hardly found time to suck in air. Leon let his arms fall away from Cloud and stepped back.

"What took you guys so long?" Leon grunted. "And where the fuck are your shirts?"

* * *

Thanks a million for reading, you guys. I'm so happy that this story has been this well received! Feel free to comment, of course! I'd love to hear anything you've got to say (with a few obvious exceptions ;).

Wykkyd


	25. Some Other Time

A/N: Uh…I always think of things to say about halfway through editing the chapter…and never write it down so I forget

**A/N: **Uh…I always think of things to say about halfway through editing the chapter…and never write it down so I forget. I'm trying to remember what I was going to write here…but…it's not happening…So thanks to all those who gave my nice reviews and:

Thanks to Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker.

And I still can't remember what I was going to write in my note…

**

* * *

**

Track Season

**Some Other Time**

"Come on, Sora. You said you'd fill us in," Axel reminded Sora about fifteen minutes after the eight of them crammed into Leon's five-seater car and left Hallow Bastion.

"It's a long story," Sora replied, but Demyx rolled his eyes.

"Great, because it's a long way home, pal. Please, Sora," he asked. The brunet sighed, comforted slightly when Riku shifted underneath him and wrapped his arms around Sora's waist. _Go on, you told them you'd explain. They're your friends…_Sora reassured himself. He caught Cloud's eyes staring at him in the rear-view mirror with concern. He smiled, and the worry in those blue eyes faded just a bit. Sora raised his eyes to Axel.

"Okay. But you have to listen, and try and stay calm. And I don't want you to treat me any differently," Sora said firmly. Demyx and Axel shrugged in compliance and Sora took a deep breath, leaning into Riku, whose lap he was sitting on. "You know my father?" No response. "Well, he's the one who got me started on running. He…wanted—wants—me to be as good as him someday. So he'd make me train a lot and stuff. Running in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon…whenever he felt like. And somewhere along the line he decided I wasn't good enough…and came up with a way to try and make me better. And, well, this is what he came up with," Sora said, waving to his torso and then pointing to the bruise on his cheek. He hated how pale Demyx's normally tan face was. "Everything sort of came to a head this year, and then Cloud found out…and now I'm staying with Riku," Sora finished with a small, nervous smile.

"How long?" Axel asked. Sora shrugged.

"Since sixth grade…so…four years? Yeah. Four years."

"And you never told anyone?" Demyx wondered.

"Dad said he'd…well, he threatened me. Zexion talked to me last Wednesday and figured it out, and I had to call him that night just to see if he was going to tell someone. Leon picked up the phone and asked if I was okay, and I sort of freaked out," Sora flashed Leon an apologetic glance, which the older brunet just shrugged off. He didn't blame Sora. "Dad heard me, put two and two together, and…well…I've never been so afraid in my life." Everyone's attention snapped up.

"What?" Cloud asked. "You never mentioned this before." Sora just shrugged.

"I didn't think I needed to. I probably don't need to go into detail now, actually—"

"No. What happened that night, Sora? What did your dad say to you?" Zexion cut in, his blue eyes staring a hole through Sora's head.

"He said he'd hurt me…really, really bad if someone had found out. He said that even if someone took me away, he'd get me back. He said that he didn't care about me, but he needed his good reputation," Sora said, his voice breaking and his shoulder starting to quiver. Riku wrapped his arms around Sora's shoulders, pulling the petite sophomore into his chest.

"Sora, I fucking promise you, your father will _never_ get you back. Not after everything he's done to you," Riku swore. Leon and Cloud voiced a similar opinion, and the rest of his friends agreed. Sora gave them all a real smile, suddenly a bright, happy, and innocent boy that everyone was familiar with. Zexion found it very odd that Sora could switch from depressed to perfectly fine in a moment, patching the two together with a smile. He was covering things up, but Zexion figured Sora had always done that. Maybe he should talk to the kid about it.

"So…enough depressing things!" Sora announced. "Are you and Dem finally going out, Zex?" Sora said with a smile. Zexion pursed his lips at the nickname, but didn't say anything. He shrugged, his cheeks blushing a bit. Demyx, on the other hand, smiled.

"Sorta. Well, yes, we are. I just haven't managed to drag him on an actual date yet," Demyx said, squeezing Zexion's hand. Riku gave the pair a sarcastic round of applause, but there was a smile and a '_finally_' look on his face. A moment later, Axel spoke up.

"Do you guys realize how _lame_ this is?" he asked.

"Huh?" Demyx said, voicing everyone's thought. Axel rolled his eyes.

"Okay, there are eight guys in this car. And four couples. We've got to be the entire gay population of Destiny _and_ Twilight Town," he commented with a laugh. Riku snorted with amusement, but Sora looked thoughtful.

"We're not _quite_ the entire gay or _bi_ population here, Axel. We might be missing Kairi and Selphie," he commented, a sparkle in his eye. There was a chorus of 'what's!' for a few moments before the small brunette clarified. "Oh come_ on _guys, don't tell me you haven't noticed them! They're practically _hanging _on each other every chance they get. I don't think they're dating or anything, but there's definitely a mutual attraction there," he pointed out.

"Great! Two girls with their tongues down each other's throats; tonight could not get any better!" Axel exclaimed, anticipating Roxas' elbow that was moving at a rapid pace towards his stomach.

"Well, if you'd rather watch them then—"

"Hello? Roxas, I'm your fucking older brother and I don't need to know this stuff," Cloud said, sharing a look with Leon.

The rest of the ride back was spent on mindless gossip, until Leon pointed out that it _was_ mindless gossip, and conversation immediately surrounded the track meet, plus a few sexual innuendos that had Cloud glaring (depending on who actually _said_ the innuendo) and Leon laughing at Cloud's protective threats.

--

Kairi couldn't help laughing as the six boys raced through the girls' locker room, all bright red and incredibly embarrassed.

"What is going _on?_" one of the Neverland girls demanded, scrambling to get her bra on as if afraid the boys would come back. There were quite a few shrugs in answer to the question, although furious pounding on the door seconds later came a step closer to answering it. When the pounding didn't cease, Selphie got up from a bench, clad in only bra and underwear, and stormed over to the door, wrenching it open. She was greeted by several boys from Hallow Bastion, all who looked incredibly confused.

"Uh…we're…looking for some…guys from…" one started, his eyes trying to look anywhere but at Selphie's chest in his embarrassment.

"Twilight Town and Destiny Island?" another finished. Selphie glared.

"Well, as you can _see_, there are _no _boys in here," she declared, holding the door open wider. The boys didn't bother looking further into the room. They all nodded rather franticly, backing away.

"Yeah…we can…see that. We'll just…"

"Be going now." Selphie slammed the door, and walked back to Kairi who was holding a shirt out to her.

"Hurry up and get dressed in something. We should run over to Tifa's before heading to Zexy's place; get some _real _clothes on," the redhead suggested. Selphie gave a yelp of excitement, throwing a t-shirt on and a pair of jeans. With waves and 'goodbye's to their friends, the two left the locker room.

"You suppose Rikku will be over there too?" Selphie asked.

"Probably. You know those two; inseparable as long as clothes and parties are involved."

"And Demyx and Zexion…" Selphie added helpfully. Kairi rolled her eyes.

--

Cloud didn't really like the idea that he couldn't see Roxas anywhere, and he couldn't find Axel either, and there were two rooms downstairs with doors that locked, as well as one on the same level as the living room. He idly wondered if their dad had given Roxas the _talk_ yet, and then went to get another beer just because he had actually _thought_ of that. Leon found him as he opened a can and grabbed it from him, taking a long swig before handing it back, a crooked smile on his face. Cloud glared, snatching his drink back and slipping his arm around Leon's waist to lean his head on the taller man's shoulder.

"Hey, Leon," he greeted, letting Leon pull him through the mess of people and to the backyard where the music wasn't so loud. The two sat down on the grass, Leon taking Cloud's drink once more.

"I don't want you to be so drunk you don't remember this," Leon said, before pressing his lips to Cloud's with a passionate insistence, forcing Cloud to lay back and open his mouth into the kiss. Cloud groaned in pleasure, reaching his hands to bring himself closer to Leon—because they weren't _close_ enough, dammit—and returned the brunette's kiss with skillful movements. Leon's response was to climb on top of Cloud, straddling his hips and grinding their pelvises together.

"Oh _fuck_," Cloud gasped, breaking the kiss to take in air. Leon smirked and lowered his lips to Cloud's jaw, moving down to mouth the blond's neck, nipping and biting all the way down to his collar bone. The small noises that Cloud was making were starting to take a direct effect on his groin, a painful erection stealing Leon's attention. Cloud felt it digging into his thigh and immediately pressed their hips together again, arching his back into the motion. Leon pitched forward as Cloud slammed their hips together in a repeated fashion, moaning in sadistic pleasure as his cock began throbbing.

"Cloud…do _not_ torture me," Leon growled, retaliating by capturing Cloud's lips in a bruising kiss, their teeth clicking as tongues fought for dominance. He felt Cloud's hands up his shirt, massaging his nipples into an aroused state. Suddenly Leon jerked away, sitting up and pulling Cloud with him. "We're going inside. _Now_," he commanded, tugging Cloud into a standing position. Cloud dove for his lips, lust blurring his eyes, and the two of them ended up stumbling inside connected at the mouth.

Sora saw Cloud stumble inside, his hands up Leon's shirt, his tongue in Leon's mouth, and one of Leon's hands down Cloud's pants, and couldn't help but smile and point them out to Riku, who smirked.

"Let's dance—and _not_ think about our coaches fucking each other, okay?" he suggested, pulling Sora into a crowd of dancing kids, pressing himself close against the brunet and wrapping his arms around him. Sora instantly reacted, putting his hands on Riku's hips and grinding against the junior, a smirk on his face. "Oh god Sora, I totally forgot about your sexy-dancer mode," Riku said, moving his hips in time with Sora's. The brunet just tossed his head with a playful smirk on his face.

"You _forgot_?" he asked. Riku just smiled, bending down to kiss Sora with bruising force. He could feel Sora laughing into their kiss.

Leon pulled Cloud into his room, slamming the door and clumsily locking it as he tore Cloud's shirt away, attacking the expanse of taught skin and muscle with his tongue and lips. The blond moaned, his left hand raking through Leon's hair and his right hand still under Leon's shirt. As the brunet reattached their lips, he dragged Cloud with him to the bed. Leon's legs hit the mattress and he fell, Cloud toppling on top of him without breaking their kiss. Their chins jarred together for a moment before one of them pulled away and their eyes locked. There was stillness in the room for a moment before Leon flipped Cloud onto his back, rolling on top of the other man while his hands snaked down to Cloud's pants.

Abruptly Cloud's hand grabbed his wrist in a strong grip, and Leon looked away from the blond's fly to see what the problem was. Cloud was shaking his head.

"Not yet, Leon," he whispered. Leon raised an eyebrow, letting Cloud move his hand to the side.

"Cloud..."

"I'm dead serious. I can't...I can't do that yet. Please." Leon had no idea why Cloud tacked a 'please' onto that sentence, but the man's blue eyes were staring at him, wary.

"I knew you were serious, Cloud. Fuck, it's not like I'm going to rape you or anything," he said with a flickering smile, as he lowered himself on Cloud's chest once more and brushed his lips along the blond's jaw. Cloud shifted, giving Leon more access.

"Thanks."

"Some other time."

"Promise..._Fuck_, Leon!"

--

Sora was sprawled on the couch, just watching everyone interact with calm and happy blue eyes. Riku had grabbed Tifa and was making sure she didn't drink too much and hit on Roxas again; Axel had specifically told Riku that he should keep an eye on her tonight.

"Hey, Sora, how's it going?" Someone said to his left. Sora looked over to find Zexion smiling at him.

"I'm fine, Zex," Sora replied. The long distance runner rolled his eyes.

"I only tolerate that from you and Demyx, you should feel special," he commented with a smile. Sora laughed, shaking his head in sarcastic frustration and scooting over on the couch.

"Wanna sit?" he asked Zexion, but the older teen shook his head.

"I think I might go find Demyx," he said slowly, a smirk forming on his face. Sora winked at him, mouthing 'backyard' silently. Zexion flashed him a rare smile. "Thanks."

"No problem," Sora answered, smiling as he watched the junior leave for the backyard. _Dem will be good for Zexion,_ Sora thought. _Cheer him up a bit…hopefully._

--

Sephiroth picked up his cell phone, dialing the familiar number without even looking at the keys. Voice mail clicked on after several rings, and the silver-haired man sighed in frustration. Where the _fuck_ was he at eleven at night? It didn't matter, he could leave a message.

_Hello, you've reached the Strife's. If you would like to leave a message for Mr. Strife, press one. If you would like to leave a message for Cloud or Roxas, press two._

"Cloud," Sephiroth paused, "Cloud…you should have come back to me when I asked. But it doesn't matter: I can get you back regardless," he said softly, hanging up without leaving a return number. Cloud would know who he was and how to reach him. Now all Sephiroth had to do was wait for Mr. Atari, and figure out how he was going to get Sora back on Destiny Islands.

* * *

Okay, tah dah! Twenty-five down, only five to go! I have such a thing for writing creepy stalker phone calls...that's why Sephiroth gets to be a phone-stalker now!

Comments would be appreciated and most likely replied to. ;)

Wykkyd


	26. Ice Scream

**A/N:** Creepy stalker Sephiroth got such a lovely reaction from you guys in the last chapter…so you get more of him this go around…;) Thanks to all of you wonderful readers who left amazing reviews, and even to those considerate enough to tell me you're enjoying the story. Every word counts!

And thanks to the betas: Riku-stalker and Bubble Master Califa.

Aaaaand! The WONDERFUL, TALENTED, AMAZING **ToraChibiChan** drew a **picture** of a scene from this story, and kindly put it into her DA gallery so all of you could look at it! In order to see it, you'll have to copy and paste the below address into your address bar, and _remove all the spaces _(I put 8 of them in there). FFN is picky about links …frustrating…

http : / / torachibichan . deviantart . com/art/Sora-Abused-gift-art-Wykkyd-83417866

I'm sure most of you remember this scene, but if not, this is where Sora's at his home after Zexion discovered the abuse, and Sora had just called him before Roy walks in on the phone call. Enjoy the picture, and please be respectful of it. I will _not accept _any negative comments on this, and Tora will not appreciate it either.

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Track Season

**Ice Scream**

Roy Atari sat in his office, head held in hands and barely restraining the urge to scream at the man sitting across from him.

"I'm _sorry_, Mr. Atari, I know how you must feel, but you hired me to take everything into consideration, and with the factors you've given me to work with, closing is the best thing to do right now. You're losing your money," the man explained calmly. Roy felt himself nod and stand up, extending his hand for the man to shake.

"Thank you for your consultation. Will you take a check?"

Just after Roy handed the man a check the phone rang. He grabbed it, snarling a vicious "What do you want?" There was a pause. "Oh, hello Sephiroth."

--

The track meet seemed to have awakened the happy, care-free Sora that most everyone was familiar with. He began training with Riku—he now wanted to break his father's record more than ever—and he went running every chance he got. He would get up early, go for a run—sometimes with Riku, sometimes without—and then dash onto the ferry to head to school. After school, he trained with the team, a new spark with him that made everyone swallow their questions about where the star runner had been. Cloud kept his eye on Sora, making sure he was alright and generally checking in with him every day. If Sora was just pretending to be happy, no one could tell.

Quite often Cid and Wakka would have team practices together, which meant that the two teams were becoming closer—and more competitive—quickly. Sora was glad for the combined practices; it meant that he got to see Riku and Zexion, and he knew that Roxas liked running with Axel. Even Zexion seemed to enjoy seeing Demyx at least once a week—and Sora _swore_ he saw them making out in the showers the other day. _Life is good_, Sora found himself thinking the next Friday. He was able to forget about his father when he was running, and so he ran as much as he could. Of course, being with Riku, Roxas, Axel, Demyx, and Zexion helped him forget too. The six of them were a tight group, despite frequent disagreements. For a moment—more than that, actually—Sora felt completely free and happy.

Zexion felt similarly. Over the last few days Sora would walk or run to his house and the two would simply talk, sometimes about their fathers, sometimes about track and how they felt about their accomplishments. Sometimes Zexion would talk about Demyx, and sometimes Sora would talk about Riku. Now the two were sitting side-by-side at Zexion's, the movie Pulp Fiction playing in front of them, but being drowned out by their conversation.

"Zexion," Sora asked. "Do you…like your dad? I mean, do you—do you…not hate him for…hurting you?" Sora finished, his voice filled with tension and his eyes aimed at his knees. Zexion sighed, leaning back into the cushions and running his hands through his hair.

"I like him enough, Sora. I loved him, even, until a few months after he was in jail. Sometimes I think I still love him. But then we just didn't see each other, and I started realizing that there was more out there than him. I realized I still had my friends, and Leon, and that everything had worked out better this way. I don't hate him, Sora, but right now I can't find it in myself to love him, at least, not like I used to. Especially because I see you, and what Roy did, and it just reminds me that some people can't be changed. Our fathers happened to be among those few," Zexion replied wisely, looking down at his younger friend. Sora seemed even smaller with his eyes downcast and his posture slumped, the cushions appearing to swallow half of him.

"I like my dad, Zex. He's my _dad_. I like my mom, too. But they both hurt me, and I don't know if I—"

"What do you mean, 'they _both_ hurt' you?" Zexion interrupted, his blue eyes watching Sora with concern. The brunet shrugged.

"My mom knew dad would hit me, she's always known. Couldn't she have done something for me? She would always turn her head when dad would…talk to me," Sora explained. Zexion sighed, wrapping a long arm around Sora's shoulders and pulling him into a one-armed hug.

"I'm so sorry, Sora. It's hard, I know. But they are your parents, and I know that you love both of them just because they _are_ your parents. That's fine, Sora. Just remember that you _do_ need to be careful around your father," Zexion reminded gently. Sora laid his head on the junior's shoulder, sighing again.

"But it's so confusing!" Sora exclaimed. "I love my parents, but I hate them when dad hits me and mom just leaves the room! And now I really only _think_ I love them…but what if I don't? What if I can't?"

"Do you _want_ to love them?" Zexion asked patiently.

"Yes. But I don't know if I can," Sora whispered.

"It took me a year to figure out and come to terms with what I feel about my dad, Sora. It's sort of just something you need to work out by yourself. Until then, just go with the flow, okay?" Zexion said, squeezing Sora's shoulder and then releasing him. Sora shrugged.

"I guess. Thanks, Zex," he answered, giving his friend a smile.

"No problem. Remember that you can always talk to Riku, or Cloud, or _anyone_, Sora. I don't mind talking with you, but don't feel as if I'm the only one you can say anything to," Zexion commented.

"Sure, Zex, but every time my dad comes up everyone seems to freeze, 'cept you. I don't want to make them feel awkward or anything," Sora said.

"They'll get used to it. It's seems an awful thing to say, I know, but they will relax and get used to the whole thing. They did it with me; it'll be the same for you. Don't worry," Zexion answered. Sora gave him a bright smile and stood up.

"I should get going, Riku said he's taking me someplace for dinner so…"

"Okay lover-boy, get outta here," Zexion laughed, pushing Sora through the door. Just before the brunet was outside he spun around, throwing his arms around Zexion's waist and burying his head on the junior's chest.

"Thanks," Sora whispered before running off. Zexion just rolled his eyes, a fond smile on his face, and turned back into the house.

--

"Hey, Sora, uh…that kid from Hallow Bastion who punched you? Uh…he wants to…apologize to you," Riku said when Sora walked into his house. "It's fucking weird, but the kid wants to meet with you on Destiny 'cause he's going to be there tomorrow and he said he felt really bad about your nose. It's not—" he began, cut off when Sora shook his head.

"That's crazy. There's no way I'm going—"

"You actually thought I would _let_ you?" Riku asked, grabbing Sora by the waist and pressing their lips together. "_I_ might go; show him that he shouldn't fucking mess with you, though," he added. Sora made a face.

"Nope. Not happening. School, track…no time for people who don't like me very much," Sora said, pulling on Riku's hair to get the junior to kiss him again. Riku immediately responded, running his hands down Sora's sides and tucking his fingers into his boyfriend's pants, wiggling them light enough to tickle. Sora erupted into laughter through their kiss, opening his mouth wide enough for Riku to push his tongue through, sucking the top of Sora's mouth. "_Fuck_, Riku," Sora moaned into the kiss, pulling Riku back with him as he stumbled over to the couch. The two tumbled clumsily onto it, their teeth knocking together, hands roaming and Sora's shirt halfway off.

Sora arched his back, releasing his hold on Riku's hair to shrug out of his shirt, breaking their kiss for a moment so Riku could slip it over his head. Their hips crashed together at the movement, each boy moaning in pleasure as Riku continued to rub their pelvises together.

"Have I told you you're perfect?" Riku breathed in between planting kisses that trailed down Sora's neck.

"I'm not perfect, Riku."

"You're close."

"You might've mentioned that before," Sora gasped, pushing his chest close to Riku as the silver-haired boy began sucking on his nipple. Riku hummed, swirling his tongue over his boyfriend's hardened nipple once more before moving lower, sliding his tongue down Sora's body slowly, nipping and sucking until he reached the brunet's belly button. He could feel Sora's hands gripping his hair, sliding through it with clawed fingers; the brunet spread his legs, making his erection obvious as he forced his hips into Riku's chest, begging for _something_. The silver-haired teen paused, looking into Sora's eyes with a question. It was hard to tell with Sora's innocent nature what his sexual experience was, and Riku didn't want to push him too quickly. "It's okay Riku, I know what I'm doing," Sora reassured, as if reading Riku's mind.

"Sora, I don't want—"

"To do what? Make me do something I'm not ready to do?" Sora laughed, pulling Riku back up so their lips were centimeters apart. "It's not like I'm asking for sex, Riku," Sora whispered gently, brushing the back of Riku's neck with his fingers. Riku exhaled, realizing he had been holding his breath and laid his head on Sora's chest. He could feel Sora's racing heartbeat, the delicate bones through the thin layer of flesh; entirely _too_ thin when Riku thought about it. He could feel Sora's hand running gently through his hair, tugging on it lightly. "Come on, Riku, _please_," Sora whispered into his ear, tilting his hips just a tad so Riku could easily feel the erection between his boyfriend's legs. _Fuck_, Riku thought, lifting his head as his own member stirred even more. Sora smirked at him, hiding a faint blush as he turned his head to the side. Riku grabbed the brunet's chin and their eyes connected for a moment before the junior attacked him, crushing their lips together almost violently as he let his hands run up Sora's sides.

Sora responded eagerly, grinding their hips together and moving his tongue to run along Riku's lips, a quiet question which Riku answered enthusiastically, pushing his tongue into Sora's mouth. The smaller boy moaned, both of his hands moving to the back of Riku's head and pulling him closer. Riku's hands drifted lower, running his fingers over Sora's waist and resting on his hips.

"Come _on, _Riku," Sora laughed, squeezing the boy's shoulders tightly. Riku shook his head, pulling himself lower and planting kisses along Sora's chest, pausing for a moment to swirl his tongue over the teen's nipples. He slid lower, his tongue running over Sora's abdominals and sucking on the area around the brunet's belly button. Sora squirmed, gasping for breath and trying to keep his hips from slamming upward and grinding into Riku. "_Please…_" he cried, letting his hips twitch just a bit to emphasize his word. In less than two seconds Riku's hand was in his pants and the silver-haired boy's fingers were running up and down Sora's member. Grinding his teeth together to keep from screaming in pleasure, Sora sucked in his breath, his abs flexing in restraint. Suddenly, Riku paused and he sat up.

"We can't do this here," he mentioned, standing up and scooping Sora into his arms bridal style. The brunet wrapped an arm around Riku's neck, leaning up to nip at the older boy's neck as he was carried up the stairs. Riku set him on the bed, immediately climbing on top of him and coaxing Sora's hips up just a bit to fully get the boy's pants and boxers off.

Riku had seen a lot of naked people. Naked girls, naked boys…naked women and men. But you couldn't even begin to compare any of them to Sora, who was lying with his legs spread underneath the older teen, his back slightly arched, his mouth open a bit, sweat beaded at his temples, and those damnably blue eyes half-closed. Sora's injuries were fully healed by now, including his sprained wrist, leaving his skin flawlessly smooth and bruise-free. Riku smiled to himself—still reveling in Sora's naked form—as he let his hand lightly squeeze Sora's erection, watching for the boy's reaction. Sora's hips bucked, and Riku pinned them down with his free hand, beginning to set a gentle thrusting rhythm with his hand as he leaned back over Sora, capturing the boy's lips in a quick kiss before sliding his lips over Sora's jaws, pausing often for breath.

Stars crossed Sora's vision as Riku's pace quickened, and he found himself clutching the sheets beneath him with his right hand as his left made red nail-marks in Riku's shoulder.

"Faster…" he breathed, the word trailing off into a gasp as Riku obeyed, taking a few more quick thrusts with his hands before focusing on the base of Sora's member, fingers caressing the tender flesh and running over each of the brunet's balls. When Sora's back arched completely off the bed and he all but screamed in ecstasy, Riku knew Sora was near his climax. A few more pumps of his hand and Sora cried out again, a mixture of Riku's name and several curses. After Sora laid back on the bed, his eyes closed and his chest rose and fell with his breaths. Riku laid next to him, tracing circles on Sora's stomach and getting semen all over his fingers.

"We're all sticky now," Riku commented with a serene smile. Sora returned it.

"Mmm…and you're still hard," the brunet mentioned with a smirk, sitting up. "Shower, 'kay?" Riku couldn't have disagreed even if he'd wanted to, letting Sora pull him off the bed and into the bathroom, pulling Riku's shirt off and helping the junior remove his pants on the way.

--

"Hello?" Cloud spoke into the receiver, holding it to his ear with his shoulder as he used both his hands to prepare dinner for him and Roxas. There was no answer save for a series of gasps and moans for a moment.

"_Cloud…do you know what you do to me?_" a breathy, and unmistakable, voice asked, fading into another series of pleasured moans.

"Fuck off," Cloud snapped, hanging up and slamming the phone on the counter with a shaking hand. Roxas looked up from his homework five minutes later as the phone rang again. Before Cloud could grab the phone from his brother, Roxas had answered it, demanding to know who was calling. Cloud watched in despair as his brother's face turned pale, the younger boy's expression turning from angry to one of disgust. After another moment Roxas hung up, throwing the phone across the room with a yell. There was a satisfying snap as the battery compartment snapped open, the hand set's batteries falling out.

"What the fuck was that, Cloud?" Roxas whispered, his eyes wide. The older Strife gave his brother a grim smile.

"That, Roxas, was phone sex," he answered. "Um…keep an eye on that," Cloud pointed at the stir fry on the stove, "I'll be back in a sec." He gave his brother a tight smile and moved out of the room, going to his bedroom. Roxas went over and turned the stove to low, stirring the vegetables once and then putting a lid over the dish.

He had heard about phone sex before, of course…but it was so surreal that someone was using it to harass _Cloud_. There was no doubt in his mind as to who the caller was, Sephiroth was the only one obsessed with Cloud enough to do something like that. Normally, Roxas wouldn't be so concerned, but Cloud really hadn't been taking it well. This was probably the third time Sephiroth had called this evening, and each time Cloud would just hang up with shaking hands and pretend to ignore it, but it was easy to tell that he was worried about it, very worried about it. _Why the fuck is that bastard stalking Cloud?_ Roxas wondered, staring at the innocent-looking phone on the floor across the wall, two batteries strewn around it. The blond sighed, shaking his head and wishing Sephiroth would just die...or more practically, leave them alone. Either one.

Cloud slammed the door to his room and sank down on the floor, his back pressed against the door. He ran his hands over his face and through his hair, moaning softly. He had no idea what to do about this. With coaching track, and making sure Sora was okay, and keeping an eye on Roy Atari, and Leon, and Roxas…he didn't need this. He didn't need Sephiroth fucking _harassing_ him. It bothered Cloud greatly when he realized that he was actually scared of what Sephiroth could do to him. Cloud imagined Roxas or Sora disappearing during the evening, Leon not showing up when he said he would…Sephiroth would gladly hurt someone close to Cloud in order to get to him, and it would work. Cloud would knowingly walk into that trap to save one of his friends.

His cell phone rang in his pocket, startling the blond enough to jump. He grabbed it, his eyes furious, and flipped the phone open.

"Holy fuck, Sephiroth. If you keep calling, I will personally make sure you rot in a jail cell…shut the _fuck_ up!" Cloud screamed into the phone. There was silence on the other end of the line before someone's voice came through.

"_Uh…Cloud? …is everything okay_?" Leon asked, confusion in his voice. Cloud sighed in relief, sagging against the door again.

"Oh, hey Leon. What's up?" he asked with a weak laugh, pressing a hand to his forehead to try and calm himself down.

"_Is everything okay, Cloud_?" Leon asked, his voice now serious instead of confused. Cloud found himself laughing, a pitiful attempt at relieving stress; within another few seconds he was sobbing, tears coursing down his face as the events of the last few weeks began to catch up with him. "_Cloud_?" Leon asked again, his voice clipped and tense.

"I'm…It's…Whatever. Never mind, Leon," Cloud found himself saying in between laughter and sobs, his torso shaking against the door.

"_You know,_" Leon said slowly, "_I think I might come over. I was calling to see if I could anyway, so yeah…I'll be there in about twenty minutes_," Leon finished, hanging up before Cloud could protest. After the blond flipped his phone shut he picked himself off the floor and laid on his bed, once again melting into sobs of anger, and fright, and concern. And it was in that moment he realized just how much he _hated _Sephiroth.

Roxas wasn't really surprised when Leon came barging into their house twenty minutes later, looking around the room for a sec, smiling at him, and then going upstairs to Cloud's room. The youngest Strife was glad that his brother's boyfriend was here…he didn't want to deal with a scared, angry, and depressed Cloud. Leave that to Leon, thank you very much. Roxas just shook his head, his gaze resting on their phone once more before he went back to eating his dinner.

Leon opened the door to Cloud's room, entering slowly and looking around for the blond. Cloud was lying face-down on his bed, his hand clenched around his cell phone which was ringing. Three seconds later the phone fell silent, dropping to the floor when Cloud opened his fist and looked up with bloodshot eyes.

"What's going on, Cloud?" Leon asked, sitting next to his boyfriend and pulling him into a sitting position. Cloud shook his head, pointing to the phone. Leon picked it up and looked back at the blond. Cloud gave him a tense smile.

"Wait," Cloud instructed, leaning against Leon's shoulder with a sigh. Leon wrapped an arm around the blond, pulling him closer. Silence encompassed the room until Cloud's phone rang again. Leon flipped it open, pressing it to his ear.

"What the fuck?" he breathed, as another man's breathy voice caressed his ear, small moans, gasps, and promises filling the receiver. Leon looked back at Cloud, who had started trembling.

"Sephiroth," Cloud whispered, and Leon nodded, flipping the phone shut a moment later. "He's going to do something to Roxas…or Sora…or you…_someone_!" Cloud exclaimed loudly, his eyes squeezed shut. Leon kissed the man's forehead.

"Cloud, calm down. You don't know that—"

"You don't know Sephiroth, Leon. Yes he will. I know it. Either I go to him now…and figure out what the fuck he wants, which is pretty _fucking_ obvious to me, or I ignore him until someone I love goes missing. He makes threats sometimes, Leon. He wants me badly enough to hurt me while he's at it…and there's nothing I can do about it," Cloud said, looking a bit calmer despite what he was saying. Leon shook his head.

"Just go to him; I'll come with you," Leon suggested. Cloud gave a humor-less laugh.

"I have to go alone. He wants me alone," Cloud added. Leon glared at the floor.

"Yeah, well, you fucking _can't _go alone, Cloud. From what I understand, Sephiroth is dangerous, and you just got on his bad side for the second time," Leon said, squeezing Cloud's injured leg for emphasis. Cloud nodded in understanding.

"I don't know what to do, though. I don't know when he's going to act; how long he'll give me. I don't know anything!" Cloud cried, falling back on his bed. Leon laid down next to him.

"Cloud. You're getting worked up again. Calm down, okay?" Leon muttered, pushing himself back so he was sitting on the bed with his back propped up against the wall. He pulled Cloud in between his legs so the blond's back was resting on his chest, and then Leon wrapped his arms around Cloud's waist.

"I really don't want anything to happen to Roxas, Leon. He…he's had enough shit to deal with…it wouldn't be fair of me to get him mixed up in all of this," Cloud sighed, relaxing into their position. One of Leon's hands began combing through Cloud's spiky hair in soothing circles.

"Cloud, you'll be able to figure a lot of this out when you calm down, alright? You know Sephiroth very well. Apply your knowledge, okay? Why does Sephiroth want you so badly right now?" Leon asked, starting at the beginning.

"He thinks he loves me. You know, _his _sort of love, which is a bit twisted, but…yeah. He thinks he loves me," Cloud answered automatically.

"Okay. And what would be the best way to get you to go to him?"

"Take Roxas, Sora, or you. Actually, not you. It would be Roxas or Sora…Roxas. He would take Roxas," Cloud reasoned with dread. Leon squeezed Cloud a bit tighter for a moment. He knew that this was hard for Cloud, not being able to jump into battle when his brother was involved.

"Okay, and what would he have to do to Roxas to get you to come and get him?" Leon asked.

"Take him…somewhere…somewhere on Destiny Island where not many people are. It would be at night. He wouldn't bring Roxas off the island, that makes things too complicated and would involve too many witnesses. He'll have to take Roxas when he's alone—it's _Roxas_ we're talking about—and…and he'll have to convince Roxas to come quietly somehow…he'll either use me…or…Sora. He would use Sora. Lies, hopefully, but telling Roxas something about Sora would get him to cooperate," Cloud figured.

"You don't want to hear this, Cloud, but Sephiroth could use force. Roxas would go very placidly if he was knocked out," Leon commented. Cloud groaned.

"Fuck. Regardless, he's going to get Roxas—"

"And then what?"

"He'd call me. Tell me he had Roxas, tell me to come to him or Roxas is fucking dead," Cloud answered quietly.

"And when you get there?"

"I'd get Roxas out of there…and then…I don't know, Leon. I could get the cops in there, but it would have to be fast and subtle or he would figure it out. I could fight him…but he's bigger than me, and…that's just really risky," Cloud said.

"I agree. But…getting the cops in there wouldn't be as hard as you think—"

"It's _Destiny Islands_ though! I mean, within ten hours everyone would know that my brother was kidnapped by a fucking sociopath who did it to get me to have sex with him!" Cloud yelled. "I don't want that, for me _or _for Roxas!"

"I know, Cloud. But it's the only reasonable option. And it'll get Sephiroth out of your life for good," Leon reasoned. Cloud sighed.

"It would, wouldn't it?" he asked rhetorically, nodding his head simultaneously as a small smile crossed his face.

"It would," Leon confirmed. "Now…just how quickly do you think Sephiroth will act?" Leon asked. Cloud shrugged.

"I can't say. It could be tonight; it could be in two weeks…But no later than two weeks from now."

"Well, two weeks from this weekend is the state meet, so that's not much time. Try to relax a bit Cloud," Leon said.

"Leon! I am being stalked by a sociopath who wants to kidnap my brother and rape me! I don't think I _can_ be relaxed!" Cloud exclaimed. Leon grunted in reluctant agreement, leaning down to gently suck on Cloud's ear, sliding his lips down to the blond's neck.

"Let's go get ice cream," Leon suggested in between planting kisses on Cloud's neck.

"Mmm," Cloud breathed, partly in response to Leon's suggestion and partly in response to the pair of lips that were sucking on his collarbone. "Sounds good," he said, turning his head to meet Leon in a fiery kiss before the two sat up and climbed off the bed. Despite his worry, Cloud was willing to try and relax that night, and he was confident that Leon could help out. They passed Roxas, who held up the stir fry as if to remind Cloud about dinner, but the blond just shook his head and told Roxas that he and Leon were going out. Roxas rolled his eyes and shrugged, waving goodbye to the couple.

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Okay…For all those wondering, I have decided to do an epilogue to this story (when it's over, of course). What I normally do for epilogue-type-things is make it a one-shot, chapter-length 'follow-up' on the original story, but I won't post it as a chapter in TS. It'll be a separate story, under a different name and all that. What I'd like to know from you guys, is if there's anything anyone particularly wants to see happen in the epilogue. So if you have a certain event or scene you'd love to see, just let me know and I'll consider it.

As always, thanks for reading, and I would love to catch a few of your thoughts on the chapter/story drifting my way! ;)

Wykkyd


	27. Date

A/N: Not much to say for this chapter…probably not what you guys were expecting after the last one though

**A/N:** Not much to say for this chapter…probably not what you guys were expecting after the last one, though! Oh! I won a writer's contest the other day, with one of my non-fiction works. I was so happy…I even got published in the local newspaper! Way too many exclamation points in that note…

Thanks to betas: Bubble Master Califa, and Riku-stalker

One more thing…I wrote a TS mini-story the other day (searching for inspiration for the epilogue). It's just a spin-off, something that _could _have happened, but definitely _didn't_ in the actual plot. Just an angsty little Sora/Zexion thing (yeah…don't ask). Do you wanna see it as an interlude to TS?

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Track Season

**Date**

"_Change of plans, Roy. I've got Cloud covered. I'm going to get Sora to you and then you will get Sora to call Cloud…Cloud will come to Sora and I'll meet him there with Roxas and…what's his name?…anyway…your only concern is Sora after I give him to you, make sure he calls Cloud. It is imperative_," Sephiroth commanded.

Roy Atari sighed through the phone line.

"Of course. It won't be hard to get Sora to call, it'll happen, I promise," Roy said in a bored tone, although his eyes were alight with excitement. He wanted his son back; he wanted to ensure that Sora could be a runner someday. He wanted Sora to be just like him.

"_Good. I'll see you then_," Sephiroth calmly stated, hanging up a moment after.

Roy Atari did not have much of an opinion of the Hallow Bastion coach; the man was going to get his son back to him, and that was all that mattered to him. Still, when he thought about it, Sephiroth did not seem the nicest of people. And even though Roy didn't like Cloud Strife at all, the silver-haired coach had a strange and sinister obsession with the blond. It almost made Roy feel sorry for the young man, until he remembered that Cloud was the reason that Sora was living who-knows-where, with who-knows-who. That thought alone made Roy scowl, shoving paperwork aside and propping his elbows up on his desk. _Damn you, Strife_.

--

Roxas was so nervous he was shaking as he stepped off of Axel's porch, the redhead just behind him. First off, he had lied to Cloud about where he was—he had said he was with Sora at Riku's—and now he was on his way to Axel's mother's clinic, about to be tested for STDs.

As if sensing his fear, Axel pulled Roxas into his arms, giving him a reassuring hug. "Look at it this way, Rox: you would probably know if you had an STD because just about all the common ones have obvious symptoms and you've taken Health, so you would recognize them. The uncommon STDs are pretty hard to get. I don't think you have to worry," Axel said.

"Yeah, well what if I _do_ have HIV or something? Do you realize that means I die?" Roxas exclaimed, pressing his face into Axel's chest.

"Roxas, you would know if you had HIV. Trust me. And you wouldn't die. Calm down, Rox. Everything'll be okay," Axel reassured, leaning down to kiss the nervous blond, immediately sweeping his tongue into Roxas's mouth. Roxas responded a bit, still too worried about the tests to get fully into the kiss. After a moment Axel released the blond's lips, guiding him down the steps and pushing him into the car. Roxas obeyed with a petrified numbness, his face pale. Axel stole a quick glance at him before pulling out of the driveway, wishing he could somehow relate to Roxas that he felt that everything was going to work out, and that he _wasn't_ driving Roxas to his death-sentence.

"Axel?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared," Roxas said. Axel sighed.

"I know you are, Rox; it's okay to be scared. But I promise you, no matter what, I'll always be here," Axel said solemnly, meaning every word. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Roxas look at him, bright blue eyes wide and frightened.

"You promise?"

"I _promise_," Axel swore, taking one hand off the wheel to grab Roxas's left hand, squeezing it hard. He felt Roxas squeeze back and smiled.

--

First date.

Zexion hated that. He hated lots of things about that. He hated that he and Demyx had been 'going out' for about two weeks now and had not actually '_gone_ out' together, and he kind of hated that they were going on a 'date' because it made everything seem so intimate and…well, Zexion was uncomfortable. It wasn't like he didn't like Demyx—fuck, the kid was utterly amazing—but he couldn't help but wonder when Demyx was going to want more than…him.

The junior shook his head, pulling a plain black T-shirt over his head and glancing in the mirror quickly. His hair was hanging in front of his left eye as always, and dark green cargo pants hung from his hips, a simple black belt keeping them in place. Casual. Just like Zexion wanted this to be.

As soon as he saw Demyx, Zexion knew that he shouldn't have worried. The blond was wearing clothes just as casual as Zexion's, and after kissing the long-distance runner hard in greeting, Demyx began talking a mile a minute about the new color of his room. So far, it was like every other time the two had gotten together, and Zexion felt himself wrapped up in Demyx's excited voice, completely at ease. After five minutes of chatter, the blond reached into his back pocket, whipping out a pair of tickets. Zexion recognized the logo on them as the tickets Twilight Town's largest cinema sold. He raised an eyebrow.

"I was really, _really _in the mood to see a movie this afternoon, so I got us tickets to…uh…" Demyx glanced at the tickets, "Magic Realm!" he exclaimed.

"Sounds like a shit movie," Zexion commented bluntly, sparking a laugh from Demyx.

"I think so too, but you never know," he said optimistically. Zexion shook his head in amusement, slipping an arm around Demyx's waist and pulling him closer so they were walking with their hips glued to each other.

"So, how long until the movie?" Zexion asked, "I haven't eaten dinner yet." Demyx looked at the tickets once more before shoving them back in his pocket.

"About an hour. Maybe forty-five minutes; we should probably get there about fifteen minutes early to get seats. That's just enough time to stop by—"

"Subway. I want a sandwich," Zexion cut in, not wanting to know what obscure restaurant Demyx was going to recommend. Demyx looked a bit put-out for a moment.

"Subway has cookies, right?" the blond asked, worry in his eyes. Zexion looked at him for a moment before cracking up, a broad smile on his face.

"You are hilarious," he gasped, getting control of himself. "Yes, Subway sells cookies. They stick to the roof of your mouth like glue…but you probably don't care," he commented, the smile still on his face.

"I love those kinds of cookies!" Demyx exclaimed, turning with his boyfriend onto Twilight Town's main street.

By the time the couple got to the theater, it was half-full, all of the occupants sitting in the front half of the theater. Zexion grabbed Demyx's hand and pulled him mid-way into the very back row, sitting down with a Pepsi in his hand.

"Why are we all the way back here?" Demyx whined, sitting next to Zexion and leaning over him to take a sip of the boy's drink. Zexion handed the cup to his boyfriend.

"In case the movie's boring," he answered simply.

"What?" Demyx asked, confused. Zexion just winked at him and turned his attention to the movie screen.

Zexion, of course, had been right. The movie was a waste of film and money that some rich producer coughed up. But, Zexion couldn't say that going was a complete waste of time…quite the opposite in fact. He was glad he had the foresight to sit in the back row with Demyx, as the blond was moaning faintly underneath him at the moment. Before their lips met for the fifth time since the movie started, Demyx tilted his head to the side for a moment.

"Zex, we really shouldn't do this in the theater…there are _kids_ in here," he gasped, although his right hand was worming its way up Zexion's shirt, massaging the slightly developed muscles. Zexion let out a breathy laugh.

"I dare you to stay as quiet as you can," he whispered, shifting onto Demyx's lap so their hips were connected. Demyx leaned back into his seat, simultaneously rocking his hips gently to slowly slide along Zexion's. The blond closed his eyes, letting his right hand rest on Zexion's stomach as his left arm wrapped around the boy's waist. Taking a bit of weight onto his knees, Zexion moved so he was slightly above Demyx, grabbing the sprinter's neck and pressing their lips together in a fiery kiss. Their tongues battled; although Zexion's dominant position didn't make it much of a competition. After several long moments Zexion let his hand drift a bit lower than he had let himself so far, making Demyx's eyes snap open and a gasp leave his mouth. Immediately Zexion moved his hand away, resting on his own hip as his cheeks lightly flushed.

"Sorry Dem…I—" he started, before his boyfriend's lips crashed into his.

"Whatcha sorry for?" Demyx laughed quietly, his fingers laced together behind the small of Zexion's back. He made a small bouncing motion. "Let's get outta here…I've completely lost track of what was going on in the movie anyway...distracted," he said pointedly. Zexion smiled, standing up quietly and pulling Demyx out of his seat, kissing him quickly before grabbing his hand and leading him out of the theater.

--

Kairi lay on her couch at home; Selphie slouched on the floor next to her legs.

"Are you ready for state?" Selphie asked with a sigh. Kairi shrugged.

"Sure, I guess. I mean I'm not planning on winning anything huge, so...yeah."

"I know what you mean. The only ones who need to worry about being ready for sate are Sora, Roxas, Reno, Demyx...those guys. And of course Riku, Zexion, and Axel and those kids. But they're ready. I mean, how can you run as obsessively as Sora and _not_ be ready?" Selphie reasoned. Kairi laughed, grabbing a handful of Selphie's hair and beginning a braid.

"It's a mental thing, Selph." There was a moment of silence as the two girls turned their attention back to the television that had been playing some lame reality show for the last half hour. "What do you think's up with Sora?" Selphie shrugged.

"No idea. It's weird, though, isn't it? That he just disappears for a couple days, and then shows up totally fine."

"I asked him where he was and he just said he was at a friends'. Roxas won't tell, either, although he _must _know," Kairi added.

"Well, I'm no Queen of Logic or anything, but I get the idea that no one who _does _know wants anyone _else _to know. So something bad must have happened, right?" Selphie commented. Kairi gave a small half-nod.

"Maybe. But if something happened to Sora, how would he be able to recover in two, maybe three days? He seems fine now, almost...better than he had been before." Kairi trailed off for a moment, thinking about her last comment as an idea struck her.

"You figured it out, didn't you?" Selphie accused suddenly, turning around and looking at her friend with raised eyebrows. Kairi returned her gaze with a smile.

"Sorry, Selph. Hate to disappoint. We'll just have to wait until...Sora tells us," she said.

* * *

Sorry it's so short, the next one's longer.

Thanks for reading, as always, and I'd love to hear from you in a comment. Speaking of commenting, there are a few people who went over and above with their fabulous comments last chapter(s), and I wanted to thank you again for that. You know who you are!

Wykkyd


	28. The Intention

_**A/N:**__ Eeep! Sorry this took me so long to post. Not my betas fault, all mine. I started my two summer jobs this last week and just haven't had time to do __anything __but work and sleep. Sorry._

_Thanks to my betas: Bubble Master Califa and Riku-stalker._

_**

* * *

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Track Season

_**Intention**_

_Run. Faster...faster...run...run...runrunrun..._Pavement rushed by underneath his feet, people's faces a blur as he sprinted down the sidewalks of Destiny Island. Track practice had just ended, but they had spent most of the time doing simple warm-up drills and talking strategy, so Sora's legs were aching to run more. Twilight Town hadn't been able to practice with them today—with exception to Axel, who had apparently ditched practice to come run with Roxas—so Riku wasn't with him to train, but Sora knew he had to anyway. He had ten days to make damn sure he could beat his father's eight hundred record of one minute and fifty-five seconds. He knew he could run the race under his father's time already, Riku had timed him at one minute and fifty-four seconds just the other day, but he wanted to make sure he could do it every time.

There was also the matter of if he wanted his father to be there for the state meet. Originally he had thought yes, he would want him there. But now with everything that he had gone through, and dragged everyone else through, it almost seemed best that Roy stayed away from him until something else could be figured out. _If_ something else could be figured out.

_God, I am going to end up sending my dad to jail?_ Sora suddenly thought, speeding up his pace when he realized he had slowed. He couldn't send Roy to jail. He didn't _want_ to. Sora exhaled loudly, pushing those thoughts out of his head. He would deal with that when he needed to. He had state to train for now.

Half an hour later Sora left the loop he had been running on in the park and made for the ferry to go back to Riku's. He had already dropped his backpack off at the ferry office, but the man said they could only hold it behind the counter for an hour, so Sora needed to get back before it was set out front. On his way down the street a car pulled up beside him, a familiar man sticking his head out the window with a smile. Sora moved away from the man, wary of the coach who had encouraged his team to smash Sora's nose in just a few weeks ago.

"Sora Atari?" the white-haired man asked. Sora nodded. "I'm Sephiroth, an old friend of your father's. I'm sorry to tell you this, but he had an accident this morning." Sora held his breath. "He's doing fine, but he's been asking to see you. I missed you after track, so I hoped I'd find you here," Sephiroth said.

"Oh," Sora breathed quietly, his mind racing. Since when was his dad friends with this guy? Wasn't Sephiroth from Hallow Bastion? "How do you know my dad?" he asked cautiously. Sephiroth laughed softly, a kind smile on his face.

"We ran together when I was in college; although he was a pro runner by then. 'Course, he was always much more talented than I was. Amazing, really. Now, I grabbed your backpack from the ferry docks—hope you don't mind—and if you'll hop in the car we can go visit your father. He probably won't be awake much longer—all those painkillers." The last few words had Sora climbing in the car, reason and suspicion flying out of his head.

"What happened?"

"I don't know all the details, but I think he was running this morning and some car hit him on Main. Horrible driver; I'm sure he'll be punished, so don't worry," Sephiroth said, as if Sora was actually concerned about that. The rest of their trip was made in silence, Sephiroth internally laughing with the thrill, and Sora concerned about his injured father.

Sephiroth pulled into the Atari's driveway, and Sora grabbed his backpack and jumped out of the car. He flashed the coach a smile.

"Thanks so much for the ride, and letting me know about my dad," he said before turning around and dashing into the house. It was silent once he was inside, until his mother poked her head around the door of her bedroom to see who had entered. In the slightly darkened hallway it took her a moment to recognize her son.

"Oh my goodness! Sora!" she exclaimed, turning her head back into the bedroom. "Roy, Sora's here." Seconds later Sora watched in confusion as his father came out of the bedroom and rushed down the stairs. Sora backed up into the door reflexively as his father approached.

"Where have you been?" Roy demanded.

"Uh...with Riku. Dad, Sephiroth said you were injured," he said, still confused. Shouldn't Roy be in bed, recovering?

"You wish, Sora. You _ran away from us_! Do you know how we felt? What did we ever do to you, you ungrateful bastard!" Roy shouted. Caroline came down the stairs, her face composed.

"Roy, he just got home. Let's let him go upstairs and change," she requested calmly. Roy shook his head.

"I am not going to ignore that Sora has been playing runaway for the last few weeks, Caroline. He needs to learn that that is unacceptable behavior," Roy snapped.

"Later, please. Talk with him later," Caroline pressed.

"I have no intention of 'talking with him', Caroline," Roy replied, his right hand snaking out and grabbing the collar of his son's shirt. Sora was yanked forward, dropping his backpack as he tried to regain his balance. He was so screwed. _Why did I believe that bastard?_ He thought frantically.

"No...dad...I'm not coming home. I...I just had to see if you were okay...I can't stay here," he cried, fear creeping into his eyes as he felt Roy's free hand grab his arm, just above his elbow. "Please, dad...please let me go."

"Worthless piece of _shit_!" Roy yelled; spinning Sora around and slamming him face-first into the door. Sora cried out, bringing his hands up to try and catch his fall, but he was a moment too late. He felt his left cheekbone sting with pain, his right arm aching where Roy had held it so tightly.

"Please, dad," he whispered, collapsing to the floor as his out-of-focus eyes saw Roy making a fist. At his plea the fist uncurled, but Roy's foot collided with Sora's rib cage a moment later, making the teen gasp and curl into a ball, tears dripping off his lashes.

"Get up, Sora. Before dinner I want an apology from you for your shameful behavior," Roy snarled, thrusting Sora's backpack on top of him, hitting the brunet's shoulder.

"Roy, come help me make dinner," Caroline requested, glancing towards her son on the floor before moving past him. "Sora, clean yourself up, get changed, and be down for dinner in forty-five minutes. You will make your apology then, once you've had time to reflect on it." Both adults left their son gasping for breath on the floor, his eyes squeezed shut.

"Get upstairs, Sora, and don't even _think _of leaving again," Roy shouted from the kitchen. With a groan, Sora slowly pushed himself up, shakily getting to his feet and pulling his backpack up the stairs with him. His ribs were on fire, sharp stabs of pain splintering up his spine with every step. After glancing out both his windows, to see if he was able to climb out of them safely, he keeled over on his bed, one arm wrapped around his rib cage. He didn't feel like moving, breathing, anything. He _hurt; _although he wanted to get out of his house. Climbing out of his windows wasn't an option: even if he was in the condition to do it, there were hardly any hand or foot-holds to support himself on. Leaving from the front or back doors was also out of the question, because both were visible from the kitchen and he couldn't run fast enough with his ribs hurting so much.

Cloud. _Oh god, please be home,_ Sora thought, grabbing his cell phone from his backpack's outside pocket. He dialed the Strife's home number, holding his breath while the phone rang.

"_Hello_?" Cloud answered.

"Thank god," Sora breathed. "Cloud, please..."

"_Please don't tell me you're at your father's house right now_," Cloud said.

"I'm sorry, Cloud. Sephiroth said—"

"_Fuck. Sora, I'll be there in a few minutes,_" Cloud replied, an edge of panic creeping into his voice.

"Thanks," Sora said, hanging up.

--

Roxas lifted his hand in a wave to Axel as the redhead jumped onto the ferry, moments before the last warning bell was sounded. The blond turned, two fingers pressed to kiss-swollen lips in a vain attempt to make them feel normal and less tingly. As he left the docks he heard Axel scream something at him...but he couldn't quite make it out. The resulting yell from the ferry operator gave the comment away as something obscene. With a laugh, Roxas shook his head and turned onto the beach, intending to run the few miles to the cliffs and then get on the road to go home. As he was walking past the cars in the parking lot to get onto the trail through the boulders and down to the sand, a shout made him turn.

Suddenly hands grabbed his arms from behind, pulling them back and dragging Roxas into his captor.

"What the _fuck_?!" Roxas snarled, trying to pull away and turn around to see who had grabbed him. None of his friends were that strong, and Cloud or any other adult he knew wouldn't do this. "Let—" A hand was clapped over his mouth as he was yanked between two cars and thrown to the ground. He immediately jumped up, lashing out at a young man with short silver hair. Roxas's fist collided with the man's cheek, snapping his head to the left.

"Fuck," the man swore, spinning around and slamming Roxas into the SUV behind them. "Would you two get out here?" the stranger growled, two more silver-haired men getting out of the SUV at his words. "Grab his arms."

Roxas thrashed, bringing a knee up to hit the leader's groin and then throwing himself forward to get away from the car. As the short-haired man crouched over, a string of curses exploding from his mouth, the other two men lurched forward. Roxas threw his left shoulder into one of them and was rewarded with a vicious backhand that sent him to the ground. He clapped a hand to his cheek to lessen the sting, and when he brought it away red blood was shimmering on his fingers. He looked up at the man who had hit him, blue eyes on fire. He caught a glimpse of a bloody ring on the man's right hand. _Fucker_, Roxas thought, before two of the men grabbed his arms and hauled him to his feet. The small, furious, blond began struggling again, grinding his heel into someone's toe. Seconds later someone's fist came flying into his vision, mercilessly smashing into his face, just above his right eye. White light exploded in his vision, but it soon faded to black, and Roxas slumped to the ground.

"Holy _fuck,_ Sephiroth didn't tell us that the kid's vicious," Kadaj said. The other two brothers didn't reply, but nodded their heads, Loz picking Roxas up and slinging him over one arm while Yazoo opened the door of the SUV to let his brother shove Roxas inside. Kadaj brought out his cell phone. "Sephiroth? Yes, we've got him...We'll meet you there." He snapped his phone shut. "Sephiroth wants him at the park. We'll just drop the kid off and get out of here. I hate this fucking place."

--

The exchange was as quick as possible. Sephiroth grabbed Roxas's limp body from Kadaj, thrusting cash into the younger man's hand and telling the three to get off the island. He put Roxas in the front seat of his convertible sports car that he had driven from Hallow Bastion, shaking his head as the two boys in the back of the car made quick work of tying Roxas to the seat, tying his arms down, his chest, tying a gag around his head and blindfolding him.

Sephiroth pulled out of the parking lot as the last knots were tied around Roxas, taking the familiar roads to Sora's house. Beside him the blond teen began to groan, obviously coming to. Seconds later Roxas discovered his situation, unintelligible yells coming from his gagged mouth.

"Shut up," the boy in the back said, his sultry voice making Roxas fall silent in shock. A long-fingered hand embedded itself into Roxas's hair, and the teen instantly moved his head to the side. "Come on, Roxas...we don't have much time together, so we might as well make the most of it," the boy whispered in the blond's ear. Roxas bit out a muffled reply, turning his head the other way.

"You remember what to do when we get there?" Sephiroth interrupted unemotionally. The second teen in the back nodded.

"You get out of the car, I drive it back into the road until Roxas's older brother sees him, then I take off to the park. We'll take Roxas into the unused trails and wait for your call," he answered automatically. Sephiroth nodded his approval.

"And what do you do when I call?" The two boys shrugged, a wide smirk appearing on the leader's face.

"Answer?" he asked; his smirk still in place.

"I don't fucking care what you do when I call, it's just to make Cloud calm down anyway. Just make sure that you don't get caught with him; I'm not bailing you out if you do," Sephiroth snapped, pulling into the Atari's driveway. Roxas began yelling again, and the boy sitting directly behind him slid his fingers into Roxas's mouth, playing with the saliva-soaked gag.

Sephiroth got out of the car, walking briskly up to the front door and knocking twice.

"Get the door, Sora!" A female voice called, although there was no response from Sora. A moment later Roy repeated his wife's request, and light footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. Seconds later the door opened, Sora turning away as soon as he saw who it was, but not quickly enough to hide the bruise on his face.

Sephiroth couldn't help it, he paused for a moment. He knew that Sora had left this place for _some_ reason, but he had always figured it was Riku. Now he knew otherwise. The boy was abused, badly from the shape he was in now, just fifteen minutes after coming home. Sora's left cheekbone was hideously bruised, more bruises starting to appear on his right arm, just above the elbow. Sora began silently limping up the stairs; his posture slumped to protect his aching ribs. Sephiroth shook his head with a sneer, erasing any pity for Sora from his mind. His sneer firmly in place, Sephiroth walked into the kitchen to find Roy. The man turned when he heard footsteps, his wife turning with him.

"Ahh, Sephiroth. Thank you for returning Sora to us," Roy said graciously. Sephiroth smiled.

"It wasn't a problem. There might be a bit of commotion outside your home in the next few minutes, but nothing that the neighbors should be worried about. No one wants the cops to show up, after all. Now have a nice evening," he said, nodding politely to Mrs. Atari. Roy shook his hand, and then went back to preparing dinner. Sephiroth walked out of the house, glancing up the stairs once to see Sora's face peeking out from around his door, his blue eyes a shade duller than Sephiroth remembered. _I wonder if Cloud knows the extent of his choice tonight, _Sephiroth thought as he left the Atari household, leaning against the door to wait for his ex-lover.

Cloud showed up a few minutes later, parallel parking in the street and rushing out of his car. He stopped when he saw his brother, and even Sephiroth had to smirk at the sight Cloud was viewing. The top was down on Sephiroth's car, Roxas still tied to the passenger seat. Now the pink-haired boy was sitting on top of Roxas, grinding their hips together as his lips sucked on Roxas's neck.

"What the—" Cloud yelled, but Sephiroth held up a hand.

"Do you really want the cops here, Cloud? Because either you let Roxas be molested by our little friend over there, or you let Sora suffer at his father's hand, both of which could land you in jail for not doing anything about them." Suddenly the sports car sped out of the driveway, the blue-haired teen driving it down the road. "Sora's looking really bad, Cloud. But then again, how would Roxas feel if he knew that his own brother left him to Marluxia, _consciously_?" Sephiroth said with a cruel smile. Cloud looked furious, visibly shaking with rage.

"You fucking bastard," the blond bit out. Sephiroth held up his cell phone.

"All you have to do is come with me, and then tell me who to call. I could tell Marluxia to let Roxas go, or I could tell Mr. Atari to let Sora go. But you have to come with me."

"And if I call the cops? On Roy?" Cloud challenged. Sephiroth shrugged, looking right into Cloud's eyes.

"Your brother gets raped tonight, that's what will happen, Cloud," he answered, taking immense pleasure in Cloud's suddenly ashen complexion. "Let's take your car, hmmm?" Sephiroth suggested, walking towards Cloud's car and occupying the driver's seat. Cloud got in beside him, silently giving Sephiroth the keys, and the two pulled out of the Atari's driveway.

Sora looked down at the street, watching Cloud climb into his car with Sephiroth and drive away, tears rushing down his cheeks. _I have to get help, _Sora thought, grabbing his cell. Leon. He could call Leon, and then wait...and pray.

As he dialed, Sora could tell that his fingers wanted to dial Riku's number, but he wasn't going to ask Riku to come save him. Roy was dangerous, and angry, and Sora wanted an adult to be here in case his father lashed out. Leon would come. After five rings, Zexion answered the phone with a breathless 'hello'.

"Hey, Zex," Sora said, trying to keep his voice light and normal. "Is Leon there?"

"_One sec,_" Zexion said.

"_What's up, Sora?_" Leon greeted a moment later.

"Leon, I'm at my house...like, _my _house, and I really need someone to get me out. Cloud's with Sephiroth, and—"

"_Sora, did you see Roxas anywhere?"_ Leon asked.

"No. I haven't seen him since track," Sora answered.

"_Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can, Sora. Hang in there."_

"Thanks."

"..._I'm glad you called." _

--

Roxas was confused, and scared out of his mind. Marluxia was still in his lap, their hips grinding together and the older boy's lips running over the blond's collarbone with his hands up Roxas's shirt. The gag and blindfold were still in place, the gag an obvious irritation to Marluxia because it made kissing Roxas's lips extremely hard. He felt the car slow down, and finally come to a stop.

"Roxas, we're going to untie you, and if you run for it, Saïx will hurt you. I don't want you to get hurt, but we can't have you running away, can we?" Marluxia said, getting out of the car. Roxas nodded. He knew Saïx well enough to know that if the blue-haired teen wanted to hurt him, he wasn't joking. He would be _hurt_. Marluxia's hand guided him out of the car, and Roxas felt Saïx's hands clamp down on his shoulders. He listened carefully to his surroundings, hoping there might be someone there who could call the cops, but his ears were met with silence. Marluxia wasn't stupid enough to bring him some place where people could see him being essentially kidnapped. Roxas's hands were brought behind his back, Saïx quickly tying them together and then putting his hands back on Roxas's shoulders to guide him as the trio began walking.

Roxas couldn't tell how long they walked before he was forced to the ground, but it couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes. Immediately he began struggling, until Marluxia kindly warned him about Saïx once more. So Roxas just lay still, his eyes closed and his mind numb as his shirt was pushed up and his pants pulled down.

Somehow, through Marluxia's lips on his chest and the teen's hands around his dick, Roxas turned his head to the side and suddenly knew where he was. There was a certain smell the ground had here. It smelled like the ocean because there used to be a sandbox here when Roxas was younger and the sand had been taken from the beach. When they made the cross-country running trails through the park the sandbox was taken out, but Roxas had played in it long enough to remember the smell of salt and maple trees mixed together. He was in the park, on the three-mile cross country trail, about two hundred yards from the start of the trail. Now all he had to do was _tell_ someone where he was.

Marluxia's phone rang.

--

Sephiroth pulled into the small parking lot near the cliffs on the beach. There were no other cars there; there would be no other people. He ordered Cloud out of the car, taking the keys with him. The silver-haired man put a hand on Cloud's lower back, gently, but firmly, pushing him down onto the beach and into the caves.

Cloud went with him, cooperating in hopes to save Roxas. He couldn't let Marluxia touch him...he _wouldn't_. The blond was pushed into one of the larger caves that kids used for partying on the weekends as Sephiroth spun him around. Their lips were millimeters apart, Sephiroth's breath sweet and hot across his face. It reminded him of..._Forget it. Don't think about it. You're doing this for Roxas, not yourself_. Yet Cloud couldn't deny a physical attraction to Sephiroth; perhaps there was no longer an emotional attachment, but Sephiroth was still just as sexy as he had been when they were in college.

"Just call Marluxia. Tell him to let Roxas go," Cloud whispered, breaking eye contact with Sephiroth.

"Will you cooperate with me?" Sephiroth whispered; his voice low and throaty. Cloud swallowed, pausing a moment before nodding.

"Yes. I will."

"Will you do what I tell you to?"

"Yes. Just tell me where Roxas is."

"At the park. Will you let me do what I want with you?" Cloud took a deep breath, knowing that he was giving himself to Sephiroth with his next words. But at least he knew where Roxas was.

"Yes." Sephiroth made the call, turning around so Cloud couldn't hear as well. Cloud immediately grabbed his cell phone from his pocket, speed dialing Leon's phone number. Leon answered as soon as it started ringing.

"_Cloud—"_

"Roxas. In the park with Marluxia. Sora at home," Cloud whispered, glancing up at Sephiroth who was still on the phone.

"_Where are you?_"

"The cliffs. At the—" Sephiroth's fist crashed into his jaw and Cloud reeled backwards, his phone splintering into several pieces against the wall of the cave. Sephiroth shook his head.

"No more calls, Cloud. It's just you and me for a while," he said, slowly approaching Cloud. The blond backed away from him until his back hit the wall. Sephiroth came closer until their chests were touching, the silver-haired man's mouth next to Cloud's ear. "If you don't cooperate, your brother gets raped. And Cloud?" Sephiroth paused, "I don't feel like being gentle. This is going to hurt."

Cloud closed his eyes as Sephiroth kissed him, trying to block out the reality of the situation. Blood filled his mouth as the taller man bit into his lip, his tongue ravaging Cloud's mouth.

"You want this Cloud, I can tell. Don't hold back," Sephiroth commanded, wrapping an arm around Cloud's waist and pulling them closer to each other. Sephiroth's erection was painfully obvious as the man pressed it against Cloud's thigh. "Come on Cloud, work with me," Sephiroth whispered, kissing him again. Cloud involuntarily leaned into Sephiroth, the familiarity of the situation alarming and yet exciting. Leon's face was floating around in the back of his head, but Cloud pushed the image away as Roxas's pained face came into focus. Leon would understand...but would he forgive him?

Cloud moaned into the kiss, hating his body's reaction to Sephiroth, but at the same time loving the man's tongue in his mouth. He shouldn't like this as much as he was, Cloud knew that, but Sephiroth had always been good when it came to sex. He should be thinking about Leon now...kissing Leon, being kissed by him...but no matter how hard he tried, Cloud knew that Sephiroth was the one kissing him, and he didn't mind it quite as much as he wanted to.

It was disgusting how he was enjoying a kiss given to him by the man who had broken his heart, ruined his career and his boyfriend's, kidnapped his brother and sent Roxas's best friend back to an abusive father. But as soon as Cloud realized that, he pulled back, looking into those vicious green eyes which were glittering with lust.

"See? I knew you wanted it," Sephiroth breathed. Cloud shook his head, jumbled and confused thoughts suddenly falling into place.

"Sephiroth, how the _fuck_ could I want something like this from _you_, of all people?" Cloud snarled. "You broke my heart, Sephiroth, you ruined my career, you ruined the career of the man I love," _Do I really love him? Yes. Yes. _Yes. "You kidnapped by brother and gave him to a pervert who would just _love_ to rape him, you gave Sora to his abusive father and now you're blackmailing me into having sex with you. Fine, Sephiroth. I'm cooperating, but I don't have to enjoy it," Cloud finished, breathing hard. Sephiroth smirked.

"You don't understand, Cloud. I'll _make_ you enjoy it," Sephiroth purred, moving close once again and sucking on Cloud's lip for a moment before moving lower. Cloud felt one of Sephiroth's hands up his shirt, the other hand working on undoing his pants, letting them fall to the ground a moment later, and then moving to work Cloud into an erection. The blond hated how quickly Sephiroth worked, pushing him down on the sand before taking off his own pants and lying on top of him, grinding their hips together. Sephiroth's right hand moved between his legs, spreading them open and moving to comb through the blond curls surrounding Cloud's erection.

When Sephiroth moved upwards again, running both hands over Cloud's smooth chest and positioning himself over Cloud's entrance, the blond braced himself. Sex with Sephiroth had rarely been gentle, but Cloud had a feeling the next fifteen minutes or so was going to be torture.

The silver-haired coach slammed into Cloud without warning, kissing the blond to muffle the guttural scream of agony that Cloud emitted. Tears sprang from the man's eyes as Sephiroth took an unrelenting pace, slamming into him over and over, Sephiroth's large cock using blood as a lubricant.

God, if Roxas ever had to go through this...

* * *

Dun dun DUN...

I'll try and be a bit more responsible about posting the next chapter soon-ish. Only two more to go!

Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear what you think of this chapter (in particular, although comments can be on anything…). Love to all of you!

Wykkyd


	29. Are You Sure?

**A/N: **You all have full, personal permission to be really frustrated with my lack of updates...All I can say is 'sorry'. I meant to get this posted before I went on vacation, but didn't as I foolishly thought 'oh, I should get internet while at camp!'. Ha. _Wrong_. So that's part of the delay.

Anyway, thanks to my betas, as always!

And I'm sure there was something else I was supposed to say, but I can't remember it, so whatever...

* * *

**Track Season**

**Are You Sure?**

Axel answered the door unenthusiastically when someone started pounding on it a few minutes after his early dinner.

"Uh, Leon, what—"

Leon grabbed Axel's arm, giving the redhead just enough time to grab his shoes before dragging him out of the house and practically throwing him into the passenger's seat. _My god, my track coach is kidnapping me, _Axel thought for a moment before looking at Leon's panicked face.

"Dude, what the fuck is—"

"Shut up," Leon snapped, silencing the confused teen sitting next to him. Minutes later Leon pulled into Riku's driveway, racing out of the car after telling Axel to stay. Axel watched with an amused face as Riku was grabbed, pulled out of his house and down the porch steps while trying to hop into his shoes. When Riku was thrown into the back seat and they were off again both teens started yelling questions, none of which Leon answered.

The brunette pulled into the harbor parking lot, turning the car off and grabbing the keys from the ignition. Axel and Riku both got out as quickly as possible and followed their coach down the pedestrian ramp and through the rows of docks before Leon stopped at a sleek, dark blue boat called the Sprinter.

"Get in, and I'll explain," Leon ordered, swinging his legs over the railing and searching under the driver's seat for a moment before coming up with a key, which he jammed into the ignition.

"Whose boat is this?" Riku wondered.

"It's Wakka's, he won't mind if we use it for a few minutes," Leon said. Axel finished untying the boat and the brunette accelerated, propelling the boat out of the harbor.

"Leon, what the fuck is going on?" Axel demanded, grabbing hold of the railing to keep himself from falling over.

"Look, Sephiroth took Sora back to his father's, and Sora called me a few minutes ago asking me to come get him. I think he's hurt. Cloud called a few minutes ago as well, telling me to get Roxas who is somewhere in the park. He mentioned the name Marluxia, but it doesn't ring any bells." Axel swore vehemently.

"Fuck. I know who Marluxia is," he replied. Riku looked at his friend, eyebrows raised. "Remember I told you that Roxas had gotten involved with some fuckers who got him hooked on coke when he was younger?" Axel said. Riku nodded. "Marluxia was the ringleader...he...he raped Roxas just before Cloud found out about all the drugs," Axel finished.

"Did Cloud know Roxas was raped?" Leon asked after swearing at Axel's words.

"Not that I know of. Roxas said he never told him," Axel answered.

"Right. This is so fucked up," Riku commented, running a hand through his hair.

"Okay guys, we're going to find Roxas first. He'll probably be on one of the cross-country trails, because those aren't normally used this time of night and I don't think this Marluxia guy is going to want any witnesses to whatever he wants to do to Rox. We'll split up, bring him back to the car and then get Sora," Leon tossed Riku his cell phone, "Call the police Riku, get at least two guys over at the Atari's. I'm going to leave you two there with Sora and Roxas, and then I'm going to the cliffs to make sure Cloud's alright. I called the island police just after he called me, they're heading to the cliffs right now to arrest Sephiroth for kidnapping Roxas and a whole bunch of other shit.

"Once you're at Sora's, make sure both Sora and Roxas are taken care of. The police should be able to handle it, but if Sora's really hurt he's going to need an ambulance," Leon mentioned. Both Axel and Riku nodded, their faces pale. "Do either of you have a cell phone on you?" Axel nodded. "Call me if anything else comes up; you have my number, right?" Axel nodded again. "Good."

Riku pressed Leon's phone to his ear after dialing nine-one-one. When he established the area the emergency was in, the address, and the problem, the policewoman on the phone assured him that a team of cops would check the scene out.

"Don't worry, hun. I'm sure your friend's fine." Riku silenced a few choice words he was dying to spit out and snapped the phone shut, handing it back to Leon.

Five minutes later Leon cruised into the Destiny Island harbor, recklessly docking the boat and throwing a line to Axel who quickly tied it up after Riku dropped buoys into the water just before the boat scraped along the dock. After the boat was secure the three took off down the docks.

Leon led the way onto Main Street where the three ran down the side walks towards the park, each one thanking Destiny Island for being so small. Axel reached the start of the three cross-country trails a good two hundred meters ahead of Leon and Riku, but he waited until they caught up.

"I don't think Marluxia would take Roxas very far. We'll each go a few hundred meters down each of the trails. If you find him...well, we'll figure that out when we need to," Leon said. Axel took off down the first trail.

"You realize that if Axel finds him he's gonna beat the shit out of Marluxia and anyone else there, right?" Riku asked. Leon nodded.

"I'm planning on it," he answered before running down the second trail. Riku shook his head, moving worry for Sora out of his head and taking off down the last trail.

Axel ran as fast as he could down the trail, his feet pounding the dirt several times per second, adrenaline rushing through him. Several moments after starting his sprint, Axel heard voices talking and groans, one set of sounds full of pleasure and the other full of pain. The redhead slowed to a cautious walk, moving until he could just see a man with blue hair sitting against a tree. Axel picked up a rock near his feet and crept forward until he was directly behind the tree. With a swift motion, Axel brought the rock down on the man's head, hoping absently that it wouldn't kill him. The man slumped to the ground, and as soon as Marluxia looked up from Roxas's cock to see what the matter was, Axel ran forward.

"Get the _fuck_ off of him you fucking _bastard_," Axel screamed, grabbing Marluxia's arm and wrenching him upwards, spinning around and slamming the pink-haired man's head into the tree right behind them. Blood trickled from Marluxia's head on impact, and Axel pulled him back to slam his fist into the man's jaw. Marluxia collapsed on the ground, groaning for a moment before lapsing into unconsciousness.

"Axel..." Roxas gasped from the ground, sitting up.

"Fuck, Roxas...are you okay?" Axel asked, kneeling down next to his boyfriend and bringing a hand up to his face, turning it a bit so he could see the bruising better. The blond's right eye was swollen, a dark purple bruise forming just above the eyebrow, and there was a faint bruise on his cheek with a bloody scrape across it. Axel immediately undid the gag that bound Roxas's mouth and untied his hands. "Did he..." Axel trailed off, glancing down at Roxas's exposed member. Roxas blushed a bit, but shook his head, lying back and lifting his hips to slide his boxers and pants back on.

"No. I'm fine. A little bruised, but fine," Roxas answered, rubbing his wrists where the rope had rubbed them raw. Axel wrapped an arm around his boyfriend and pulled him close, pressing Roxas's head to his chest as the blond wrapped his arms around Axel's neck and bit his lower lip to keep tears from falling. "I really hate that guy," he whispered in a shaky voice.

"I'm with you there," Axel agreed, pulling his cell phone out with his free hand. "I'm going to call the cops before these two wake up," he explained before dialing. Roxas nodded.

"Roxas!" Leon yelled, coming into the small clearing with Riku in tow. The blond raised a hand in greeting, a feeble smile crossing his face. Leon glanced to the two unconscious men on the ground. "This is so messed up," he said with a sigh, going over to Roxas and setting a hand on his shoulder. "You're okay?" he asked.

"Am now," Roxas answered softly, curling into Axel. Leon motioned for the phone, taking it from Axel's hand.

"Hey Roxas, that black sports car in the parking lot? It didn't happen to belong to these guys, did it?" Riku suddenly asked. Roxas thought for a moment.

"I think so. I was blindfolded the whole time while in the car, but there was a lot of wind..."

"The top was down. Awesome," Riku said with a smirk.

"Why?" Axel asked, removing his focus from Leon who was talking to the police.

"Because the keys were still in the ignition," Riku answered, tossing his hair over his shoulder.

Axel carried Roxas to the car, despite the blond's forceful attempts to get his boyfriend to put him down, and Leon jumped in the driver's seat. Riku got in the passenger's seat.

"You know how to get to Sora's house?" he asked Leon. The brunette shook his head and Riku began giving directions.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Axel whispered in Roxas's ear, pulling the smaller boy into his lap and wrapping his arms around him. Roxas was shaking slightly, but even so, he nodded his head.

"I'm fine Axel. Promise."

"You scared the shit outta me," the redhead commented, holding Roxas tighter. Roxas laughed a bit.

"Talk to Marluxia, not me," he replied, resting the back of his head on Axel's shoulder. "I'm glad you found us when you did though."

"I am too. How long had you been with him?"

"Maybe thirty minutes, but some of that was driving, and then Sephiroth talking with Cloud...We were only in the park for about fifteen minutes before you showed up, guns blazing," Roxas said, a small smile crossing his face at the recollection. "God, I wish I could have seen that," he said with a smirk. Axel laughed.

"Dude, it was _awesome!_" he exclaimed.

"Yeah right, Axel. Stop taking advantage of the situation," Riku teased from the front seat, turning around to look at the couple in the back. Axel glared at his best friend as Roxas and Leon laughed. The mood was slightly lighter until Leon pulled up into the Atari's driveway, Sora's situation painfully clear. Two police cars, lights flashing, were parked on the road, and the Atari's door was open.

"Axel and Roxas, you two get inside but stay out of the way. Roxas, see if you can do something about that cut on your face and the swelling. Riku and I will see how Sora's doing," Leon directed. Everyone expected Roxas to prefer to go with Leon and Riku, but the blonde didn't comment. Axel looked at the boy in his lap, worried. Roxas sighed, sitting up and opening the car door.

"Come on, lets go inside, Axel," he said, stepping out of the car. Axel followed suit, walking up to the door after Riku and Leon with his arm wrapped around Roxas's waist, his boyfriend's head resting on his shoulder.

There were four cops in the living room, two arguing with Roy, one talking firmly to a more complacent Caroline, and one investigating the room. All six people turned to look as Leon, Riku, Roxas, and Axel walked in.

"I'm sorry," one of the cops began, "this is a private investigation. For the privacy of those under speculation I'm going to ask you to leave."

"We'll leave if you let us take Sora. That is if Sora can..." The cops looked confused.

"Sora? We haven't seen the kid." There was a tense silence in the air until Riku spoke up.

"_What? _Where the fuck is he, then?" he demanded.

"Watch your tone, kid. We haven't seen Sora. Someone called in about twenty minutes ago and said there was some sort of emergency here, so we came to check it out. The place seemed fine, everything was normal, and then some big-shot detective calls into the station saying he wants this man and woman arrested. That's all we're doing. Sorry, but there's been no kid that we've seen.

Roxas struggled out of Axel's grip on his waist and bolted up the stairs, shoving past the officer in the doorway to Sora's room as he called his best friend's name. Moments later he came running out and dashed down the hallway, looking into the bathroom and finally Roy and Caroline's room. When Sora did not emerge, Roxas moved back downstairs, shaking his head.

"They're right, he's not here."

"In that case, we need to find out who this detective is—"

"I have Vincent's number; that is, if it's the same one he was using back when we were in the force together," one of the officers mentioned. Roxas pulled his boyfriend's phone from Axel's pocket, flipping it open and waiting for the officer to give the number. After dialing the number as instructed, Roxas pressed the phone to his ear and walked away from the group. Riku followed him while Leon and Axel were pulled over and questioned by a couple of the police officers.

"_Hello_?" a low voice spoke into the other end of the connection. Roxas paused for a moment.

"Um...is this...Vincent?"

"_Yes. And this is...?" _the man replied.

"Roxas. I'm one of Sora's friends. Is he with you?"

"_Yes."_

"Is he okay? Can I talk to him?" Roxas asked frantically. He heard several muttered questions from Vincent, and then a familiar, slightly hysterical voice spoke up.

"_Roxas! Oh my god...Where are you?"_

"Thank god, Sora. I'm at your house. Riku called the cops a little while ago and we were just following up, but I guess that the detective got to you first?" Roxas asked.

"_Yeah. I'll tell you about it later."_

"Are you okay, then? Where are you?" Roxas wondered.

"_I'm doing alright. Not seriously injured or anything. And I'm at coach Cid's apartment. Can I meet you at your house a.s.a.p?"_

"...Yeah, sure. That'd be fine Sora. Should we come pick you up?"

"_Vincent said he'd take me."_

"Okay, we'll be waiting there. See you soon," Roxas glanced over at Riku who was rapidly motioning for the phone. "Oh, and Riku says 'hi." Sora giggled as he heard his boyfriend yelling at Roxas. "God, Riku, you'll see him in, like, five minutes. Chill out...Sora? Are you still there? Sora?" Roxas looked back at Riku. "See? You made him hang up."

"Whatever, Roxas. Let's just go to your place and wait for Sora. Does he sound okay?" The blond-haired boy shrugged.

"He's not really acting himself right now. Too...subdued and almost apathetic."

"He might be in shock." Roxas shrugged again.

"Maybe. Let's just go."

"The cops might need us for something..." Riku mentioned. Roxas looked at him, eyebrows raised and ready to fire off a retort when an officer came up to them with a smile.

"Would you two mind answering a few questions right now? I'm sure you're anxious to see Sora, but we can use your answers as evidence against his parents for the moment. It could help." Roxas glared at the man.

"We mind. We mind very _much_ actually. My fucking best friend is about to have a breakdown, I just about got raped in the goddamn _park _by a fucking _drug addict, _and my brother is stuck who-the-hell-knows-where with a psychotic _bastard _who just about cut Cloud's leg off last time they were together! Fuck _yes, _we _mind_. And we are leaving. _Now_," Roxas yelled, grabbing Riku's arm and pulling him towards the door. The silver-haired boy gave an apologetic shrug to the cop who was standing dumbstruck in the living room, and caught Leon and Axel's eyes while he nodded in the direction of the door. The group of four left together, Leon jumping into the driver's seat of Marluxia's car and the other three piling in after. Three minutes later they were parked in the Strife's driveway.

"Alright. You guys can wait here for Sora; and Roxas, you should look at your eye. I need to get to the cliffs. Cops should be there by now as well, I let the officer's back there know about it." Axel nodded solemnly.

"Okay. We'll see ya later, then...Good luck," he said with a subdued smile. Leon tried to smile back, but it came out more of a grimace than anything.

"Just go, Leon. We'll be fine," Riku assured as he stepped out of the car. Axel followed suit, pulling Roxas out with him and then swinging the blond into his arms with a flourish. Roxas's growl of protest was ignored.

The Strife house was silent after the three teens entered it. Roxas silently refused to go into the bathroom to clean his cuts, choosing to sit stubbornly on the couch and wait for Sora. Axel and Riku sat beside him; Axel's arm wrapped around his boyfriend, but not demanding attention, and Riku wringing his hands in his lap. After what seemed like ages there was a knock on the door. The three boys looked at each other, and Axel finally got up as it seemed the other two didn't want to face what was on the other side of the door.

As soon as the door was opened Vincent stepped through, Sora silently following behind him. The tall man turned to Sora and knelt down on the ground, placing his hands on Sora's shoulders.

"Do you want me to stay for any reason?" he asked kindly. Sora shook his head.

"No," he whispered, "I'll be alright. Thank you...thank you _so _much," he finished, his voice choked as he strained to keep tears at bay. With a fond smile, Vincent wrapped his arms around the trembling boy and pulled him close for a moment.

"It's all uphill from here, kid. Don't worry. And give me a call anytime you want to talk. I'll be around."

"I will, Vincent. Thanks again," Sora whispered, returning the hug and then stepping away. Vincent stood up and gave an appraising look at the other three boys in the room. Riku nodded, understanding the message.

"Thanks for dropping him off," Axel said, moving to the door. Vincent followed him, and was surprised when the redhead left the house, waited for Vincent to come outside, and then shut the door behind them.

"Do you need something else?" the detective inquired.

"How did you know Sora was in trouble?" Axel wanted to know. Vincent cracked a smile.

"I'm a detective, kid. I notice things. And I've given Sora rides home a few times, both under suspicious circumstances that never made sense to me. The second time I actually walked around their house a few times trying to get a glimpse of anything odd going on inside."

"You mean you knew about this? Sora's dad and all?" Axel asked, incredulous.

"No. Not quite. I'll admit I had my suspicions, but they weren't strong enough for me to call in. Child abuse, domestic abuse of any kind, is serious. If someone calls in and makes a claim for abuse, the police must arrest someone for it—almost immediately. I wasn't about to risk the Atari's being innocent on such a mild hunch. But today I was jogging with Cid—we're old friends—and he mentioned he had seen Sora get in the car with Sephiroth, and overheard a conversation between the two of them. Sephiroth had told Sora that Mr. Atari was injured and asking to see his son, and Sora believed him. As soon as Cid told me I ran over to Sora's house. Got inside just as Roy started in on him. I took him back to Cid's apartment and then called the cops on Roy and Caroline. You probably know the rest." Axel nodded thoughtfully.

"Is he hurt or anything?" Vincent narrowed his eyes.

"Why do you care? I mean, you're not one of his friends are you?" Axel glared.

"If I wasn't one of his friends, why the fuck do you think I _would _ask? Of course he's one of my friends. Thanks, though, for telling me what happened. I kinda thought Sora might not want to...talk about it," Axel said. Vincent nodded and walked away without a word, getting into a sleek black car and driving away. Axel walked back inside to find Sora curled up on the couch, his knees drawn up to his chest, as Roxas talked to him.

"Sora, are you okay?" Roxas asked, sitting down on the couch next to his best friend. Sora looked up at him, tears shining in his eyes as he shook his head.

"No," he sobbed, putting his head down again. "But what happened to you? Your face."

"Long, fucked up story. I'll tell it to you later, 'kay?" Sora nodded.

"Roxas, let's get you fixed up real quick," Axel called from the stairway. Roxas stood up.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" the blond asked. Sora smiled and shook his head.

"I'll be okay, Rox," the brunette assured. Roxas nodded and went to the kitchen to get an icepack for his eye before following Axel into the bathroom upstairs. The blond's place beside Sora was replaced by Riku, who looked beside himself with worry.

"Sora..." he started, but trailed off once he realized he didn't know what to say. Sora shrugged.

"Hey Riku," he whispered. Riku brought his hands up and gently tilted Sora's face up; the smaller teen flinched at the contact, but didn't pull away.

"Everything's going to be okay, Sora. I promise you," Riku said, gathering his boyfriend in his arms. "Anything broken?" he asked.

"I don't think so. My ribs might be bruised, but not too badly. They'll stop hurting in a few days," Sora said, his voice still quiet. Riku held him gently, not wanting to further injure the already damaged boy in his arms.

* * *

...Not much else to say. I'm tired.

Oh yeah, comment if you like, I appreciate them (there's still a few reviews that I need to reply to, mainly the ones that I just got after I came home from camp, so if you're one of those people...I'll get back to you soon, hopefully).

Wykkyd


	30. A Loaf Of Bread

**A/N: **Okay, I remember what I'm supposed to tell all of you this time! (That's a first) So…most of you think that this is the last chapter. But surprise! There's still two more to go. I had miss-numbered three chapters while writing the story and that messed things up. So by the time I straightened everything out, I realized that there was more chapters than I thought. Hope that's a bit of good news for you.

And…while I'm writing this there are 931 reviews for TS. How incredible is that?! I'm blown away by everyone's willingness do drop comments, critique, feedback, and suggestions. It's amazing, and so much more than I was expecting. I'm pretty sure it's going to happen, but it would be SO COOL to get a thousand comments on this story by the end….so keep it up guys!

A few more things more thing: -**WhiteRibbons**- has drawn a piece of fanart for this piece that is utterly amazing and gorgeous. I would really recommend checking it out; it's of my favorite scene in the entire story! Here's the link (remember to remove the spaces, there are **7** of them):

http / toko-twins. deviantart. com/ art/ Track-Season-The-Showers- 92562465

And, **CherryFlavoredChalk **wrote a _stunning_ spin-off of Track Season that depicts the scene between Roxas and Marluxia when Marluxia starts taking advantage of Roxas. I was incredibly impressed with this piece. Here's the link (remember to take out the spaces, there are **6 **of them):

http / www. fanfiction. net/ s/4450271/ 1/rockabye

And last but not least, thanks to both my betas: Bubble Master Califa, and Riku-stalker.

**

* * *

**

Track Season

**A Loaf Of Bread**

The Strife house was wonderfully calm inside, and everyone was glad when Roxas made a point of locking the door.

"I fucking swear, if the next person who knocks isn't someone I want to see right now, I am going to scream my fucking head off at them," Roxas said, shutting all the blinds before following Axel upstairs and into the bathroom.

Roxas grabbed the bottle of peroxide from underneath the counter and soaked a tissue with it, pressing it lightly to the cut on his cheek. Axel handed him a towel to soak up the excess blood and peroxide on his face. "Thanks," Roxas said, putting the peroxide away and sitting down on the edge of the bathtub, running his hands through his hair and sighing. Just fifteen minutes ago he had been lying in the park with Marluxia's mouth on his dick...it seemed surreal that he was at home in his bathroom now.

"Hey, I thought you were okay," Axel teased, flipping the toilet lid down and sitting on it, reaching over to squeeze Roxas's shoulder.

"I'm still okay, don't worry. I just...I think everything's sinking in. Marluxia...Sora...Cloud...it's sort of a lot," he replied. Axel nodded.

"Yeah, I can imagine," he paused, "God Roxas, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I...I feel really bad," the redhead said, his gaze dropping to the floor. Roxas shook his head.

"It wasn't your fault. Fuck, you weren't even on the island until twenty minutes ago. Besides, nothing happened," Roxas said, his voice slightly choked. Axel didn't reply for a moment.

"Are you sure?" the senior asked seriously. Roxas looked up, his face blank.

"_Yes _I'm sure...I'm _positive._ I mean, they tied me up...and...and his lips...and I was on the ground...and his mouth was on my dick...and...and he said...fuck...fuckfuckfuck..." Roxas said, tears suddenly rushing down his face as choked sobs erupted from his throat. Axel knelt on the ground in front of his boyfriend, pulling Roxas off the tub's edge and into his arms.

"Rox, after this trial you'll never have to see him again. I promise," Axel said, not knowing what else to say. Roxas shook his head, clinging to Axel's thin shoulders for support.

"You know what, Axel?" Roxas said through his tears.

"Hmmm?" Axel asked.

"When you first asked me out, I didn't think you would keep any of your promises. I thought you were this party kid who liked getting stoned and drunk and fucking whoever you wanted, and that you just wanted to fuck me and then forget about me. Kairi was the one who convinced me to give you a chance...she tried telling me that you wouldn't...wouldn't be like Marluxia. But you've never broken a promise, not once. And you're here...even when you don't have to be...and I'm...I'm really happy about that," Roxas said, smiling even though tears were still pouring from his eyes and his chest was hammering up and down with sobs. Axel hugged him tighter, picking him up bridal style, standing up and walking back down the hall.

"I mean to keep those promises for as long as we're together, Roxas. And of course I have to be here; Cloud's got Leon, Sora's got Riku, and you've got me," Axel said with a smile, carrying the blond to the couch in the living room, which Sora and Riku had vacated in favor of Roxas's bedroom. "Hungry?" he asked as he set Roxas down, brushing tears off the younger teen's face with his thumb.

"There should be a popsicle in the freezer. You can grab one for yourself if you want," Roxas said with a grateful smile. Axel came back with one popsicle, handing it to Roxas. "You didn't want one?" Roxas asked, his eyebrows raised.

"I figured I could just share yours," the redhead said with a smirk, sinking into the couch next to Roxas. The blond jerked his treat away from Axel.

"No! Get your own!" he exclaimed, laughing. Axel rolled his eyes and went to get another one.

"You're fucking mean, Roxy," he yelled from the kitchen.

"_Re_ally?"

"I love how you show affection for me."

"Up yours. And get me another popsicle."

--

Sora sat down on Roxas's bed, his face pale and his hands shaking slightly. Riku sat down next to him, kissing the brunet's forehead lightly.

"Let's get you fixed up, and then we can get something to eat, okay?" Riku suggested. Sora nodded, running over his injuries. Most were just severe bruises; there were only a few small cuts from his father's wedding ring. Riku tugged at the hem of Sora's shirt, much like Cloud had done weeks ago in this same situation, and Sora took it off, glancing down at his torso once the shirt was on the floor.

There were a couple splotches around his ribs in the shape of a boot toe, and a few fist-marks on his upper chest, but other than that his skin was clear. Sora saw Riku lean behind him to look at his back.

"Nothing too bad, Sora. There's a shallow cut that's already scabbing over, and a few light bruises around your spine and shoulder blades, but that's it. How are your arms?" Sora looked down at his bare arms. Grip marks, mostly, the only one that hurt without touching it was the purple ring just above his right arm.

"They're fine. Just bruises," the petite boy whispered, his gaze lowered. Sora felt Riku wrap an arm around his shoulders, leaning close.

"What happened, Sora? From the beginning," Riku asked, lying back on the bed and letting Sora curl into him.

"Sephiroth told me that my dad had been hit by a car as I was going back to your place," Sora heard Riku mutter something that sounded like 'fucking liar', prompting him to smile a bit, "And I...I believed him. Roy's my _dad_, Riku, I...I still love him. I _have _to. But when I got home...well...dad was angry that I had left...and he...he just...he sent me up to my room to change and everything. He wanted me to apologize to him and mom at dinner, for leaving I guess...I should have just apologized. Instead I just got really pissed off at him and he decided to start beating the shit out of me for my 'disrespect'. And then Vincent showed up, and you probably know the rest," Sora finished. As he spoke his voice rose from a faint whisper to a normal volume, something which Riku was grateful for. He was worried that Sora would continue to speak very softly and insecurely, if he spoke at all.

The two lay in silence, Riku's arms wrapped around his boyfriend's waist in a protective gesture, and Sora's head pressed against his chest. After several minutes like this, Riku got the impression that there was something else on Sora's mind, something the brunet wanted to ask.

"What's on your mind, Sora?" Riku whispered in the teen's ears, lifting a hand from the boy's waist to push Sora's bangs out of his blue eyes. Sora sighed.

"Riku...this is going to sound stupid but...am I only good for running? My dad always tells me I'm worthless, and that I'll never be good for anything...and...it just feels like all I'm good at is running. And it's just a sport," Sora said softly. Riku sighed, pulling Sora closer, careful to avoid his bruises and sore ribs.

"Sora, you're not just 'good' at running. You're _brilliant. _And you're good at making people smile, and laugh, and feel comfortable, and happy. You study hard, you work hard toward your goals, you inspire people, you make friends easily, you're good at comforting people, you can dance, you can listen well to your friends, you're nice to everyone. You're beautiful, you're innocent, you're sexy and hot and lovable, you kiss like a porn star, you give these awesome hugs...Sora...you're amazing. I can't even describe how amazing you are," Riku said firmly, watching a soft blush cross his boyfriend's face. Sora looked into his eyes, hope and embarrassment on his face.

"Really?" He asked. Riku couldn't help himself, he laughed. Sora was all of that and _more_, and the kid couldn't even accept that without reassurance.

"What?" Sora demanded, a curious smile on his face. "_What_?"

"You...you're...my _god_, Sora," Riku said, placing a hand on the back of Sora's neck and tilting his head so he could press their lips together. Seconds later Sora began laughing into their kiss, opening his mouth enough to let Riku's tongue swirl around his lips once and dive into his mouth. Sora laughed harder, somehow kissing Riku back at the same time, his hands gripping Riku's shirt to pull the silver-haired boy closer.

The kiss soon lost its desperate and forceful edge, turning slow and sweet as Sora's laughs turned into moans of pleasure and Riku placed his knee in between Sora's legs. Sora let his right hand drift up Riku's neck and begin combing through his hair as Riku placed one hand on Sora's face, moving his lips from Sora's mouth to his jaw-line and over to suck on the tip of his ear. Sora giggled, his eyes closing as Riku moved to his neck, gentle hands now running over his chest.

"Would you two _not _make out on my bed?" An amused voice called from the door. Sora's eyes opened wide, immediately blushing, and Riku swore loudly.

"Get the hell out, Roxas," he said with a smile, even as he sat up and grabbed Sora's shirt from the floor. The brunet took it from him with a nod of thanks and pulled it over his head, wincing as his ribs twisted painfully.

"I'm _serious_! I _sleep _on that you know!" Roxas exclaimed. A moment later, Axel came into the room as well.

"So...any of you hungry? I think we should all put our amazing chef skills together and make dinner," the redhead suggested. Riku raised his eyebrows.

"Didn't you already eat dinner?" he asked. Axel shrugged.

"Sure, but then I ran for a mile, beat the shit outta two guys, and I'm hungry again," he answered. Riku flopped down on the bed, stomach up.

"Let's just go out for dinner; my treat," he said. Both Roxas and Sora shook their heads.

"No. I just...I want to stay here. I'll make dinner if you guys want—lots of practice, after all—and then we can do normal things...like watch a movie and eat ice cream," Sora put in, his voice soft but firm. Riku sat up and wrapped him in a one-armed hug.

"Movie and ice-cream sounds good. I can run down to that little store by your house and pick up ice-cream before dinner," Riku said. Axel nodded his agreement.

"Awesome. Me and Sora can do dinner, Roxy can help if he wants—"

"I _never_ should have let you get away with that the first time you started calling me 'Roxy'!" Roxas jumped in, scowling. Axel ignored him.

"—And Riku can go get ice-cream," the senior finished.

"Sounds good. You two get started, I'm going to call Leon and see how Cloud's doing," Roxas told Sora and Axel as all four of them stood up and filed out of the room. Once downstairs, Riku went for the door, giving Sora a quick kiss before leaving, Roxas sat down on the couch with his cell phone, and Sora and Axel went into the kitchen.

"Roxas, are you okay with spaghetti?" Sora called. The blond nodded with a smile, knowing that was Sora's favorite. He figured even the little things like that and watching a movie tonight would calm his best friend down. Even though Sora was smiling and seemed normal, it wasn't hard to see that the events of the day had shaken him up. _Fuck, it shook _everyone _up_, Roxas thought before dialing Leon's number.

"_Roxas?_" Leon answered.

"Yeah, how's Cloud?"

"_I was just about to call you. Cloud is...um...doing alright. We'll stay at the hospital tonight, and he'll be released tomorrow. Are you four at your place right now?" _Leon asked.

"Yeah. Sora and Axel are working on dinner, and Riku just went on an ice-cream run," Roxas said.

"_Good. Is Sora okay?"_

"Uh...yeah. A little shaken up, but it's nothing major. He'll be fine," the blond answered. He heard Leon turn from his phone and relay his answer to Cloud.

"_And what about you? Cloud's asking."_

"I'm fine." Once again Leon relayed his answer to Roxas's brother.

"_Cloud wants to talk to you_." There was a pause as Leon handed the phone over, and then Cloud's voice came through the line.

"_Rox? Fuck. You're okay, right?"_

"Dude, didn't Leon just tell you that?" Roxas said, shaking his head. He heard Cloud laugh on the other end of the connection.

"_I wanted to hear you say it. Sora's okay then too, I take it."_

"Sora's doing fine. We're all just chillin' here; Sora and Axel have dinner going, and we'll do a movie and ice-cream or something later. Both Sora and I wanted to keep things relaxed," Roxas answered.

"_Good idea. I should go, but I'll call in the morning. You should be able to take a day off of school if you want."_

"I don't know if the principle will believe me if I say that I couldn't come because the night before some guy kidnapped me and tried to rape me, and my best friend got beaten up by his dad, and my brother got raped by his old boyfriend. But I guess I could try..." Roxas said humorously, sparking a laugh from his brother.

"_Man, the whole fuckin' town is going to know about this in a day or two, Rox. You know how Destiny Island is,_" Cloud mentioned. Roxas groaned.

"School is going to be hell."

"_Take two days off then," _Cloud suggested. "_Okay, I actually _do_ have to go, so I'll see you tomorrow. You can have Riku or Axel use the car if you guys need to get anything, but you and Sora _can't _drive it," _he reminded. Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, Cloud. See ya later...and I'm glad you're okay."

"_Me too. Love you, bye." _Roxas hung up with a smile on his face, setting his phone down.

"Cloud okay?" Sora called from the kitchen, stirring a pan of noodles.

"Yeah. He and Leon are staying at the hospital tonight, but they'll be home tomorrow sometime," Roxas answered, walking into the kitchen and pulling out salad materials from the fridge. "Let's do spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread," Roxas said, tossing a loaf of bread at Axel, who barely caught it before it hit him in the face. The redhead glared at his boyfriend.

"Asshole."

"Dude, I threw a loaf of _bread_ at you," Roxas said, laughing. Sora rolled his eyes at the couple.

"Don't start. Please," He begged, his eyes shining with amusement as he rifled around in the cupboard for some basil to put in the sauce. The phone rang just then, and Roxas reached for it.

"Hello?" he said into the receiver. A moment later he held the phone out to Sora. "It's for you." Sora set the small container of dried basil he found on the counter and grabbed the phone, walking out into the living room to get away from the noise in the kitchen.

"Hello?" he said.

"_Sora? This is Zexion. I swear, I tried calling your cell a gazillion times!" _Sora's friend exclaimed.

"Sorry. I think it's still at my dad's place," Sora answered, just remembering himself.

"_What the _fuck _were you doing there?_" Zexion demanded. Sora sighed and sat down on the couch.

"It's a really long, really screwed up story, actually," He said vaguely.

"_You're okay though?_"

"Yes...I'm...okay. A little shaken...but okay," Sora answered truthfully.

"_Are you at Riku's or at Roxas's?"_

"Roxas's," Sora said.

"_Do you not want any more people to deal with, or can I come over?" _Zexion asked.

"Sure you can come over! I'd...I'd like that, actually," Sora said, turning around to catch Roxas's eye. He mouthed 'can Zexion come over?' to his friend, and the blond shrugged, nodding simultaneously.

"_Should I bring anything?"_

"A movie, if you want. Me, Roxas, and Axel—don't correct the grammar—are making spaghetti, and then we're planning on watching a movie later. Riku's getting ice-cream."

"_Sounds fun. You're sure you're okay with me coming over? And Roxas too?_" Zexion checked.

"I'm positive. We'll see you in a bit!" Sora said with a smile on his face, hanging up after he heard Zexion say goodbye. "Guys, Zex'll be over in a bit. He's going to bring movies," Sora announced, standing up and putting the phone back in its charger.

"Fuck, we might as well have Dem over then," Roxas said considerately. "I'll call him once we've eaten dinner and everything, he lives right by here." Sora nodded his approval, going over to the stove and turning the pasta off. A strainer was already in the sink, so his carefully poured the noodles into it, letting the water run off and rinsing the extra starch off with warm water from the tap. Roxas had finished putting together the salad, and Axel was keeping a careful eye on the bread, which was under the broiler in the oven. As Sora threw four forks and plates out on the counter, Riku walked in the door, holding a bag.

"Ice-cream!" Sora shouted, running over to see what flavors his boyfriend had gotten._ "Yes_! Strawberry! Awesome!" he exclaimed after peeking in the bag.

"Just for you," Riku answered with a smile. "I got vanilla and chocolate too, along with chocolate syrup."

"Sweet," Axel said as he took the bread out of the oven and then reached over to take the sauce off the stove. "Let's eat. I'm fucking starving."

--

Zexion knocked twice on Roxas's door and turned the handle, finding it locked. He stepped back to wait for someone to get the door, turning to face the street. He had driven by Sora's house, finding a squad car still in the driveway and several lights on in the house. They were probably conducting a search of the house. The door clicked open behind him, Riku poking his head around it to see who it was. The door opened wider when the silver-haired teen recognized his teammate.

"Zexion, hey," Riku said by way of greeting. Zexion nodded at him and walked inside, immediately looking for Sora. The small brunet was in the kitchen with his back turned to the door, loading dishes in the dishwasher. "Zexion's here," Riku announced. Sora turned around from his job, a smile on his face that clashed horribly with the dark bruise on his cheek. Zexion's breath caught as his eyes picked out marks that ran down Sora's neck and collarbone and the bruise on his forehead as well, although it was only noticeable to a trained eye.

Sora came over and Zexion gave him a hug, trying to avoid common injury spots so he wouldn't hurt his friend.

"I'm glad you're here, Zex," Sora whispered, his forehead resting on the older boy's chest. Zexion caught Riku staring at him, his friend's lips pressed together tightly and his eyebrows almost forming a glare. Zexion raised his eyebrows and Riku shook his head, turning away.

"Would you be able to tell me what happened today?" Zexion asked softly. Sora paused before answering.

"I...Sure. I could tell you."

"Are you sure you _want_ to?"

"Zexion, you're too considerate! Why don't you just order me to tell you what happened, and then I wouldn't start second-guessing myself," Sora exclaimed, his voice light, but his eyes serious. Zexion glanced at the other three in the room once before releasing Sora and gently pushing him down the hall and into a bedroom. By the look of it this was Cloud's, but Zexion didn't care. He just needed a place to talk to Sora for a bit. "Seriously, Zexion, you should just...demand that I tell you or something. It makes it easier," Sora said, walking over and facing the window that looked out at the backyard. Zexion sighed.

"Sora, the night my dad was apprehended I had five officers surrounding me, demanding I tell them what happened. I stopped talking for a month," Zexion stated softly, but his voice seemed to fill the hollow atmosphere of the room.

"I can talk about it. Really. I already told Riku...and the officers," Sora said, his voice sounding less sure of himself than it was a few moments ago. Zexion smiled to himself and walked over to Sora, putting his hand on the younger teen's shoulder. Sora flinched away, whipping around and pressing his back to the window in an effort to move away. Zexion stood frozen in the room, his hand still outstretched. Seconds after his abrupt movement, Sora's face twisted up in pain, fire shooting up his injured ribs. There was no noise in the room, both boys frozen.

"Sora...I really think you should talk about this with someone. Talk about _everything," _Zexion said hesitantly, watching his friend closely for a reaction. Suddenly Sora's face fell; the life seemed to drain out of it. Color rushed from his cheeks, the happy glint faded from his eye which took on a haunted look. He seemed to curl in on himself, becoming as small as he could without actually curling into a ball. Zexion had to turn away from the image of Sora that reminded him too much of himself one year ago.

"Yeah, I probably should," Sora whispered, his voice tense but so quiet Zexion didn't even know if he heard him.

* * *

I know, I know. The chapter title is absolutely ridiculous. I love it.

I'd love to get comments and/or critique on this chapter. You know the drill…;)

Wykkyd


	31. Movie Night

**A/N: **Yeah, this is late…Sorry. Still, I love this chapter. While my favorite scene in the story is the one with all the guys in the shower room after the track meet a while back, the scene in this story with all the guys over at Roxas' my second favorite. Friendship at it's finest, guys.

Thanks to betas **Riku-stalker** and **Bubble Master Califa** for their great work and support!

And, thanks to **Riku's Dark Angel** for being an incredibly faithful reviewer these past few weeks. You rock.

**

* * *

**

Track Season

**Movie Night**

"I am trying _really_ hard to _not _get pissed off right now," Riku said, "I just saw my boyfriend give one of my best friends a big hug and then they both walk into a room and shut the door. _Wow_." Axel snorted, glancing towards the door to Cloud's room. Roxas glared at Riku.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that," he remarked flatly, rinsing out the pan of spaghetti sauce. Riku looked at him.

"Why?" he asked incredulously. Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Because, _fucker, _Sora and Zexion are the only people here who have had the wonderful experience of having their fathers beat the shit out of them on a regular basis. So, I'm quite fine shutting them in a room together right now," the blond snapped. Axel sighed, deciding to stay out of the argument.

"I already talked to Sora about it," Riku said defensively, "He seems fine." Roxas spun around, crossing his arms.

"Look, don't take this the wrong way, but I've known Sora for fourteen more years than you, and I _just_ found out a few weeks ago that Roy hit him, okay?" Roxas said. "Sora is one of the best actors I have ever met, so really, we have no idea if he's okay right now...or if he's about to jump off a cliff," Roxas finished, glaring at Riku. The silver-haired boy closed his eyes and sighed, raising his hands in the air.

"Fine. Sorry. I didn't mean it like that...well, I did. I just wasn't thinking," Riku apologized. "I even _knew_ that Sora's a good actor when it comes to pretending to be happy, so I should have realized that," he added. Roxas shrugged, agreeing.

"You're harsh, Roxy," Axel commented with a laugh. The blond looked at him.

"Rox_as_, you moron. There's an 'a' and an 's' in there," he corrected. Axel just kept on laughing, even after Roxas flicked a bunch of soapy water at him.

...

Zexion let Sora talk without interrupting him until the agonized words stopped tumbling out of his friend's mouth and tears slowed their journey from his eyes. After a minute of silence Sora let out a weak laugh, wiping his face off on his sleeve.

"I feel kind of dumb right now," the brunet said. Zexion shrugged.

"I felt really stupid when I sat down and talked to Leon, after my father was put in jail and everything. The situation was a little different, but I can safely say I know exactly how you feel," Zexion said with a comforting smile. "You'll recover, Sora. Everything you're feeling is pretty normal for all of this going on, actually... Not to make you feel—"

"I know, Zex. Thanks," Sora said, standing up and stretching his stiff limbs. Zexion stood up as well, waiting for Sora to appear ready to leave the room. The brunet was staring at the door as if he wanted nothing more than to go back into the hall, but something was holding him back. Suddenly Sora looked up, his eyes locking with Zexion's. "Um...did you...did..." Zexion had the feeling he knew what Sora was going to ask, but he wanted to hear Sora voice it himself, "Uh...did you...flinch a lot...you know, afterwards?" Sora asked, moving his gaze to the floor. Zexion sighed.

"It's weird. I didn't until after my dad wasn't around me...sorta like what you have going on now. But yes, I was really jumpy for about a month after my dad got locked up. It was never really bad, and it wasn't like I was scared of people touching me, it just startled me," Zexion answered. Sora nodded.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. It's like...I don't know. I just get startled, like you said. I only...I don't want people to think that I'm scared of them or anything," the brunet said with a rueful expression.

"The people that matter will always be there for you, Sora. I found that out last year. Everyone will understand, and you'll get over the flinches without even trying. It's a trust thing really, once you accept that you trust these people flinching won't be a reflex anymore. You'll probably find that you have more reflexes like that, you might have had them for a while actually," Zexion added.

"Like what?" Sora asked hesitantly. His friend shrugged.

"I don't know for sure. I remember there was this one time that this asshole from Twilight High found out I was...well, abused. He was sort of taunting me with it, and I told him to fuck off...anyway, he raised his hand, like he was going to hit me, ya know? I ended up backing into the wall behind me and holding my hands up to protect my face. It happened in...less than a second; I didn't even think about it, but it was something I used to do when my father raised his hand on me," Zexion said. Sora nodded, a sad smile flickering on his face. Zexion shrugged. "I got to watch Axel beat the shit out of him after school, but still...my reaction to that freaked me out."

"Do you still do that?"

"No. Riku punched me last year—I totally deserved it, though—and I didn't do anything except get hit...really fucking hard, mind you. 'Course, Riku thought that he was going to cause me to have a relapse or something, and he apologized about ten million times...but yeah..." Zexion trailed off into a quiet burst of laughter, Sora joining him once the younger boy saw a picture of his current boyfriend punching Zexion and then freaking out about it afterward.

"Well...thanks...again. I'm really glad you came over," Sora said sincerely. Zexion wrapped an arm around the smaller teen in a friendly gesture.

"I always thought that I'd like to work with kids like us when I'm older...I just like helping people," the long-distance runner mentioned.

"And now? Do you still want to be a therapist or whatever?" Sora asked. Zexion nodded.

"More than ever."

"Cool," Sora replied, slipping out from under Zexion's arm and walking towards the door. "Coming?" he asked after the door was open.

"Yeah. Make sure you...give Riku a hug or something when we get out there. Otherwise he's going to kill me for trying to steal his boyfriend," Zexion said. Sora laughed—his normal, sparkling laugh—and walked out of the room, shaking his head. Riku poked his head around the corner when he heard Sora's laugh, cautiously regarding the two friends as they came out of Cloud's room. Sora turned and gave Zexion a mirthful smile as he walked up to Riku, wrapping his arms around the taller boy and leaning up to crush their lips together. Just a second after Riku's shock wore off and he started to respond, Sora pulled away with a smirk.

"Tease," Riku accused.

"I think you've told me that before," Sora mentioned with an innocent smile, "Besides, that was for getting jealous of Zex the other minute," he finished. Riku opened his mouth indignantly and then snapped it shut with a huff.

"Do you want any ice-cream?" the silver-haired boy asked a moment later, successfully changing the subject.

"Yes I doooo!" Sora sang, doing a pirouette and rushing over to the freezer to get the strawberry ice-cream back out. Riku looked to Zexion.

"What the hell did you say to him? He's...uh..." Riku mouthed, trailing off when he realized he didn't know how to describe Sora's mood. Zexion shrugged.

"He's normal. This is how he should be acting all the time. I just had to help him realize he's not alone," the teen said as he passed by Riku to get some ice-cream for himself. Raised voices could be heard from the living room, where Roxas and Axel were involved in a heated argument over which movie to watch. "I don't come _close_ to understanding what supernatural force has those two together, because _hell_, they can't even decide what _movie_ to watch without arguing about it," Zexion pointed it.

"They're good for each other," Riku said with a shrug, not really explaining anything.

"They really are," Sora added. "And I think a lot of it is just acting, at least on Roxas's part. He doesn't _really_ mind that Axel calls him 'Rox', but he likes to yell at Axel about it anyway."

"That's a little...weird...but whatever floats their boat," Zexion said, rolling his eyes.

"That's what you say _now_, Zexy, but it makes for the _best_ sex!" Axel shouted from the living room. Roxas glared at him, smacking him in the head with a DVD case.

"Shut the fuck up, Axel. We have _not—_"

"Just put the movie in!" Sora interrupted, his voice distorted by laughter at the couple's antics. Roxas moved to do so, Axel protesting.

"No! That is such a pussy movie! Don't put it in—nonono no! Bad! Rox, it's seriously—"

"Zex, I called Demyx about ten minutes ago. He said he'd be over in..." Roxas glanced at the clock, ignoring his boyfriend's outbursts, "About five minutes from now." Zexion smiled, putting the ice-cream container back and then drizzling a small amount of syrup onto his dessert.

Riku wrapped an arm around Sora, holding his own ice-cream with his free hand, and the two of them walking into the living room. Riku sat down with his back against the arm rest, his knees spread apart so Sora could sit in between them and lay back on his boyfriend's chest. Zexion took a seat in one of the arm chairs, and Roxas and Axel sat next to each other on the floor, pillows scattered around them. The DVD player's screen turned to blue as the movie loaded.

"It's really weird to think that I got up this morning, went to school, went to track...and everything was normal," Roxas said. Axel snorted.

"Yeah, until some asshole grabbed you and decided it would be fun to fuck you," he added. Roxas scowled.

"I was going to put it a little more...eloquently, but that works too," The blond said. Zexion stared at them, confused.

"I suppose you'll fill me in on all of this later?" he asked, glancing to Sora, who seemed just as confused and concerned.

"It's a long story, but yeah. In the morning. Everyone can crash here tonight," Roxas said. The room fell silent as the movie began to play.

...

Cloud unlocked the door to his house at eleven o'clock the next morning, opening the door to find his living room a mess of blankets, pillows, and six teenage boys. Leon laughed at the sight, looking over Cloud's shoulder.

"Someone had a party last night," he remarked softly, his eyebrows raising as he saw Zexion curled up with Demyx on the couch. Cloud looked at his boyfriend.

"Really," he said. "I'm exhausted, Leon...so..."

"Sleeping sounds good...hospital beds are fucking _hard_," the brunet said, closing the door behind them and following Cloud into his bedroom. The two collapsed on the blond's bed, Leon slipping an arm around Cloud's waist.

"I'm glad you're okay," he whispered. Cloud gave a content 'hmmmm'.

"Yeah. Me too," he agreed.

"You know, I always wanted Sephiroth in jail. It was an unreasonable fantasy before all of this happened, but I'm glad he's locked up. He was never the nicest of people," Leon commented.

"Well, a person could say that about you," Cloud whispered with a smirk. Leon gave him a half-hearted shove.

"Do you really want me in jail?" he joked. The blond in his arms smiled.

"Only if I'm there with you."

"You're a sap."

"I'm also in love with you," Cloud admitted. Leon searched his lover's face with a soft smile, his heart hammering in delight.

"Really?"

"Really."

"I think I've loved_ you _ever since we got drunk and spent three hours making out at Riku's house," Leon commented with a smile. Cloud snorted.

"Now who's the sap?"

"Go fuck yourself, Cloud," Leon teased. His boyfriend shook his head.

"Naw. Too tired."

...

The Strife household was up and running around one that afternoon; the six boys had made breakfast, which was more like lunch, and Cloud and Leon were both showering. Zexion and Sora had been filled in on all the events of the day before, and Cloud had been thoroughly drilled on what started the whole thing yesterday, to which the blond retold his tale of his college years with Sephiroth. The courthouse had called several times about trial dates for Sephiroth, Roy and Caroline, and Marluxia and Saïx, and to verify that Cloud and Sora would testify against the teen's parents and that Cloud and Roxas and Axel against Sephiroth as well as Marluxia and Saïx.

The police called about Sora's situation, wondering where he could stay until the trial, and if they should look into the foster program.

"Foster pro—fuck no! I am _not_ letting Sora live with anyone I don't personally _know_!" Cloud screamed into the phone. Sora was leaning across the counter, worry in his eyes. There was a moment before Cloud spoke again. "No. I won't consider it. No, it would not be 'good for him'. He will either be staying on Destiny Island with someone he is comfortable with, or in Twilight Town with someone he is comfortable with. Foster Care is not a fucking option," he said firmly. There was another pause while he listened to the officer on the phone. "Look, I'll figure something out by the trial date. Thanks," the blond said, hanging up and throwing the phone down. With a long sigh Cloud sank down in his seat, propping his elbows on the counter and running his hands through his hair. "This is so messed up, Sora."

"I'm sorry," the brunet said.

"Not your fault. It's just...we all have a court date or three to be at, and those all start sometime next month, I have to figure out a way to explain all this to my dad, who comes home in ten days, I have to find you a guardian _both_ of us can trust, and my ass hurts like hell," he exclaimed. Sora snorted, covering his smile with his right hand and trying to stifle his laughter. "Shut up, shorty," Cloud said with a mock glare.

"Relax, Cloud. Everything will work out," Sora said seriously, standing up and giving Cloud a quick hug. "Let's go watch the movie, okay?" Cloud gave his brother's best friend a smile, standing up and letting Sora pull him into the living room, where Leon and the other five were watching another movie. Cloud sat down next to Leon, and Sora wriggled between Riku and Zexion, leaning his head on Riku's shoulder.

"What was that all about?" Riku whispered to him. Sora shrugged.

"Apparently I need a guardian, now that my parents are probably going to prison. I think my only options are foster care or adoption," Sora whispered back, his eyes following the actors on the screen in front of them.

"Not foster care," Riku advised.

"I know. But I have to find someone who can take care of me now," Sora said with a sigh.

"You could always live with me," the silver-haired teen offered.

"Riku...uh...that might be a little awkward," Sora said with an amused smile. Riku laughed, causing Axel to look over at the pair with an eyebrow raised. "Nothing," Riku said, wrapping an arm around Sora and pulling him closer.

"Everything will work out," Riku said. Sora smiled and pressed his lips to the corner of Riku's mouth.

"I know," he whispered back.

* * *

Tah-dah! One more chapter to go! What did you think of this one?

Thanks for reading, and/or reviewing. Love you all to pieces and back together again.

Wykkyd


	32. The End Of A Season

**A/N: **Um…sorry? Complications with computers and stuff…But! This chapter is fun to read, and I think a lot of you are going to be happy with how the story ended. I've already written most of the epilogue, and I'll post that later. Remember, if you have anything you really want to read in the epilogue, let me know so I can think about it.

Thanks to betas Riku-stalker and Bubble Master Califa. High fives all around for a successful story!

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Track Season

**The End of a Season**

Sora's eyebrows furrowed, his gaze an intense glare at the track in front of him. His muscles were wound tight, legs waiting to spring out of their lunge and his feet itching to start running. Riku was lunged beside him, placed back a few feet, a similarly determined expression on his face. Sora turned and the two locked eyes for a moment, making an agreement to run their best. Whoever took the gold would win fairly.

A crack split through the air as the starting gun was fired, the sharp noise igniting Sora's trained reflexes. He started off at a fast but carefully regulated pace, closing his eyes for a moment against the rush of air against his face. The Hallow Bastion runner passed him, taking the lead, but Sora didn't care...he _wouldn't_ care until the last lap.

As he ran, his heart hammering, his feet slamming into the asphalt, his lungs working hard for air, the events of the entire track season flashed through his mind. He remembered the first meet, when he met Riku, not knowing what was to come. He remembered his father screaming at him in the park, fists flying into his torso. Images of Roxas and Axel yelling at each other floated through his head, and seconds later images of the pair draped over each other at Riku's party came into mind. He remembered the evening when Riku asked him to go out with him, the memory making the brunet smile and step up his pace to regain third place, with Hallow Bastion and Traverse Town in front of him by a yard or two. Sora envisioned being in the locker room with Zexion, when the boy discovered the abuse. He remembered Cloud coming into his house as Roy threw him down the stairs, he remembered getting used to life at Riku's. Images of him, Riku, Roxas and Axel, and Zexion and Demyx going running in a big group, jumping off the dock on warm days, and covering Leon's car in pink post-it notes with red hearts drawn on them flashed through his mind. He remembered getting in the car with Sephiroth just a few weeks ago, and the night that followed with the arrest of his parents, Sephiroth, and Roxas's old friends.

Sora shook his head slightly to clear it, focusing more intently on his race. He was now in fourth place out of seven, and only four hundred more meters to go. Sora waited to make sure another runner wasn't about to make an unexpected move, and then took a second to decide if he wanted to sprint the last lap. It had worked before...but would it work again?

The brunet took a breath, making it as slow and deep as possible, before skipping a step and bolting.

Roxas watched his friend intently, frowning slightly as Sora ended his first lap down by four places.

"What is he—" Roxas started, before Demyx cut him off.

"He's going to win," the sprinter stated firmly. "He's going to sprint...like he did a few meets ago. He'll make his move any second now."

"It's too early. He'll use too much energy," Axel commented. Demyx shook his head with a smile.

"I've been watching him train for this event. He starts off with his slowest pace, gradually increasing his speed until he hits the four to five hundred meter mark...and then he takes off." Just then, Sora _did_ take off. Within seconds he was in third and fast-approaching Riku, the runner in second place. Axel shook his head.

"That kid is really somethin'. Riku's a good runner...but Sora...he's in his own league," the redhead said. Zexion nodded in agreement.

Sora was laughing. He had a hundred meters left, Riku was just behind him, and the Hallow Bastion runner just a foot or two in front of him. Euphoria spread through him as he pushed himself harder, his legs slamming into the track beneath him, his heart hammering inside his ribs. Air rushed over his face, through his hair...and he couldn't help but laugh. It was as if all the hardships of the season were left behind at the four hundred meter mark...because now it was just him and the track in front of him. And he was going to win. His father's record would be history, but Sora didn't even care if his father found out. It was the final proof that he _was_ better than his father...in more ways than one.

Sora felt the streamer break in half as he ran through it, and moments later he felt Roxas's arms around him, and Demyx's, Axel's, Zexion's, and Riku's. Cloud and Leon were smiling at him from several feet away, and the rest of the Destiny High team was chanting his name over the cheers of the crowd. He managed to grab Riku, throwing his arms around his neck and kissing him hard on the lips, even as they both were recovering from their event.

Riku pulled away first, whispering "congratulations," to his boyfriend. Sora beamed at him.

"Thanks, Riku, you too," he said, before turning around to give a hug to Cloud.

"Wanna know your time?" Cloud asked. Sora took a breath, bracing himself.

"Yes," he answered, looking at Cloud from underneath his sweaty bangs. Cloud looked down at the stopwatch in his hand, his mouth pressed in a hard line. Sora leaned forward a bit.

"Sora...you have a time of one minute, forty-nine seconds and three hundredths. It's a new record. Congrats," The blond said, a smile breaking onto his face. Sora punched a fist in the air triumphantly as Roxas came up behind him and gave him another hug.

"Dude, you blew your dad's record out of the _fucking water_!" Roxas exclaimed, practically jumping up and down in excitement. Sora laughed, wiggling out of his friend's arm. Axel came between them with a smirk on his face.

"So...what are we doing to celebrate?" he asked. Roxas glanced at Cloud, eyebrows raised. The older Strife rolled his eyes, but nodded his head.

"My place...after awards. We'll do a Destiny and Twilight team end-of-season type thing," he said, the wheels in his head already turning.

"Fuck _yes_...this'll be fun," Axel said, slapping Roxas on the ass and giving him a wink.

"Hey, _fucker_..." Roxas yelled, following Axel as the redhead walked away. Sora laughed at the pair.

The last week had been an emotional roller coaster for Roxas, Cloud, and Sora, each working through their own problems. Roxas and Axel had gotten in so many fights that turned serious, they had broken up five times, only to get back together again several hours later and start fighting again. Leon and Cloud spent most of their free time together, trying to solve the problem of Sora's guardian, and court trial dates, and also working Cloud through an aftershock effect of his brutal rape. There would be another stressful situation created in two days, when Cloud explained to his and Roxas's father why there were three court dates scheduled with him testifying, why he was going out with a _man_, and why _Roxas_ was going out with a guy as well. That would prove another interesting conversation.

Sora had kept his normal routine, staying nights and afternoons with Riku in Twilight Town, and going to school and track at Destiny High. He spent a lot of time with Zexion as well, talking about anything that came to mind, from their fathers to their favorite foods. After spending so much time with the older boy, Sora found himself realizing what it was like to have a brother, the thought bringing a smile to face every time he thought of him and Zexion being brothers...which became a reality two days before the state track meet.

Sora and Zexion were in the backyard of Zexion's house when Leon came out, handing them each a coke and sitting down.

"So...I thought of something last night. Something I really should have thought of earlier, actually. It's about a possible guardian for you, Sora," Leon began, looking at the brunet next to him. "What would you say to...living here?" Sora's eyes went wide.

"You mean...like...you could adopt me?" he asked, a smile spreading over his face. "You _would_ adopt me?"

"Sure. I'd understand if you didn't want to—"

"I'd _love_ to!" Sora shouted. "Oh my _god_...that...this is...wow..." He trailed off, looking at Zexion to see his reaction. The long-distance runner smiled.

"Hey, it makes sense. I mean, we're just fifteen minutes from your friends on Destiny, and you know us...and Cloud won't have to call every other hour to make sure you're not being sold into slavery or anything...so yeah...that would be...really cool," he finished. Sora looked back at Leon.

"You mean it? You would let me stay here?" he asked again. Leon rolled his eyes.

"_Yes_. I have all the paperwork, and I've been through the process before, so it's not such a huge deal. It's a little different living with me and Zex than it is living with actual adults, but it's a solution. And I'm not exactly 'adopting' you, but I do get legal custody of you until you're eighteen. We'd love to have you in our 'family'," he answered, giving the small brunet a smile. "There will be a lot to iron out, like where you'll go to school and such, but that's for later. It'll work itself out pretty easily," he added. Sora smiled, lying back onto the grass.

"You know, the beginning of the track season seems like _such_ a long time ago," he commented. Leon laughed.

"I know where you're coming from," he said, ruffling Sora's hair before standing up and heading back inside.

--

Roxas's house was full to the brim of slightly tipsy, grinning teenagers and a few of Cloud and Leon's friends. Tifa and Rikku were in a corner, arms linked and performing some sort of Irish jig while laughing hysterically. Sora was standing in one corner talking with several of the boys from Twilight Town, watching Roxas and Axel out of the corner of his eye. Axel was sprawled out on the couch, Roxas sitting on his hips and kissing the redhead hard enough to bruise. The image brought a smile to Sora's face, as well as a blush, and he looked around for Riku. The silver-haired teen was across the room holding a plastic cup in one hand and waving his arms around in gestures as he talked to Zexion, whose arms were wrapped possessively around Demyx.

"Roxas," Axel moaned as his boyfriend's lips nipped and sucked their way down his neck.

"Mmmm?" Roxas said, his mouth still favoring the redhead's neck.

"Ro—Roxas...let's go upstairs. I'm not fucking kidding," the sprinter gasped, rolling his hips just a bit to make his point. Roxas gave a lopsided grin.

"You're so easy when you're drunk," the blond commented, standing up and pulling Axel to his feet. The youngest Strife noticed his brother eying him from the kitchen where he was standing with a group of guys his age. Roxas just shook his head, ignoring Cloud's warning gaze and dragging Axel to his room with a grin.

By the time Roxas's door had been shut and locked, the blond's shirt was already off and the fly to his pants undone. Axel pinned him against the door with animalistic lust, the redhead's mouth nipping at Roxas's lower lip and demanding entrance to his mouth. Roxas parted his lips, letting Axel's tongue roam over his own; the harsh grinding of their pelvises making him groan.

"Fuck, Axel," Roxas muttered into the kiss, his hands reaching up to undo the buttons on Axel's shirt. Seconds later the blond ran his hands up Axel's bare chest, moving to his shoulders and pushing the shirt to the floor before letting his hands slip over Axel's smooth back, his nails digging into the pale skin. Roxas felt Axel's hands run down his sides and wrap around his butt, lifting him enough so Roxas could wrap his legs around his boyfriend's hips. Axel stumbled backward, his lips still connected to Roxas's as the two fell onto the bed. Within moments both boys' pants were off and Roxas had wiggled out of his boxers, freeing his hard erection.

The blond spread his legs and pulled Axel towards him, their cocks rubbing together through Axel's thin boxers. Axel moved his hands to Roxas's hips, kissing the blond once again on the mouth and then moving lower, swirling his tongue expertly over the familiar expanse of Roxas's skin. The blond's nipples hardened underneath Axel's wet tongue, his abdominals tense and his hands clawing at his boyfriend's back while Axel moved his mouth lower, licking at the base of Roxas's dick.

"Axel..." Roxas gasped, pushing his hips up as much as possible. Axel held them down, the redhead's hands moving from Roxas's hips to the soft curls surrounding his erection, putting pressure on the area as his mouth entertained Roxas's inner thigh. Axel moved away, sliding back up Roxas's chest and capturing the blond's mouth in a searing kiss as one hand slid up Roxas's cock, teasing. Roxas glared at his boyfriend, moving his hands into Axel's boxers and pushing them as low as he could reach. The redhead smiled.

"What do you want tonight, Roxy?" he asked with a smirk, moving lower even as he said so. The blond just rolled his eyes and tilted his hips so his dick was brushing Axel's lips. His boyfriend flicked his tongue out, forcing Roxas's hips down when the blond bucked again. "You know what I want tonight?" Axel whispered, his voice lust and alcohol hazed. Roxas just raised an eyebrow, too aroused to answer. "I really, _really_ want to have sex with you," Axel finished, his tongue tasting the tip of Roxas's erection again. Roxas's eyes opened wide and he started shaking his head.

"Axel—the test still—"

"Did I not mention that earlier?" Axel said with a happy smirk. Roxas pushed his torso off the bed, propping himself up on his arms with Axel still between his legs.

"_What?_" the blond whispered urgently. "Did...what...I..._what_?" Axel pushed himself up as well, shoving his boxers off his hips and wrapping Roxas in a hug.

"It came yesterday; my mom brought it home from work. I looked at it because I wanted to know how to give it to you," Axel whispered. Roxas nodded, encouraging him to continue. "Roxy, I wouldn't ask you to have sex with me if there was any chance of an STD in you," the redhead said.

"You mean...I'm negative? Clean? No STD, no nothing?" Roxas breathed, his heart pounding even harder. Axel pushed him back down on the bed and kissed him, letting his tongue play with Roxas's for a few minutes before releasing the blond.

"What do you want tonight?" Axel whispered again, his verdant eyes penetrating Roxas's. The blond sucked in oxygen, elated at the news, but also a bit nervous. Axel seemed to sense this. "I'll be gentle...I won't be like _him_," he said, spitting the last word out of his mouth with venom. Roxas paused a moment, taking another breath, and then he nodded slowly, running his fingers through his hair.

"On two conditions," the blond said with a smile, remembering he had said the same thing when Axel had first asked him out, more than a month ago. Axel smiled as well, the familiarity striking him as well. "One...you use a condom. I just...it's safer, I guess. And two: you have to remember this in the morning, so how drunk are you?" The redhead's eyes gleamed.

"Not very. It's wearing off. I'll remember everything clear as crystal tomorrow...you?"

"Fuck yes."

Axel moved off of Roxas and went over to his pants, digging around in his back pocket for a moment before pulling out a small red package and tearing it open. Roxas watched him with his eyes half-open as Axel slid the condom over his painfully-erect member while moving over to Roxas again.

"Front or back?" Roxas asked with a smirk. Axel considered for a moment.

"Front. I want to see your face this first time," he finally said, spreading Roxas's thighs with his hands and placing a lubricant-coated finger near Roxas's entrance.

"First time? What makes you think I'll let you do this again?" Roxas asked in return to Axel's previous comment. The redhead laughed, a sexy smirk on his face.

"Roxy, if you say 'no' to this again...I will be absolutely _shocked_," Axel said. "Still...are you sure about this? Because if I start, I'm going to finish it." Roxas smiled, grabbing a pillow from his bed and shoving it beneath his hips to slant them a bit.

"Scared?" the blond taunted, staring into Axel's eyes.

"Yeah right." Axel inserted a finger and Roxas quickly adjusted to the intrusion. It was highly uncomfortable when a second finger was inserted, scissoring in and out of him slowly, but he was able to focus on other facts to distract him—such as the presence of fingers lightly pumping his cock. A minute or two later Axel kissed his way up to Roxas's mouth, kissing his boyfriend hard as he inserted a third finger into Roxas's entrance. The blond let out a pained groan, but didn't back away, instead kissing Axel back with fierce passion. The redhead knew Roxas was ready when the blond began rocking his hips with Axel's small thrusts, the pain-filled moaned turning to that of pleasure. Axel pulled his fingers out, positioning his dick at Roxas's entrance. Slowly, when he saw Roxas had braced himself, Axel let himself slide into his boyfriend, the heat surrounding his erection instant pleasure. Axel let out a small moan, but it was drowned out by Roxas's whimper.

"I'm sorry," Axel whispered huskily in Roxas ear, tasting the tender flesh with his lips as he gently pulled out, and slid back in again in a slow thrust.

"Just go...I'll get used to it..." Roxas gasped, already the easy thrusts becoming bearable. Axel sped up a moment later, and a moment after that Roxas wrapped a leg around his boyfriend's waist, bucking his hips in time with Axel's thrusts. The redhead moaned as Roxas began moving his hips to match their pace, the pulsing pressure on his cock so much better than he ever remembered.

"Fuck Roxas," Axel whispered, sweat beading at his temples. "You're so fucking hot." Roxas just smiled.

"You're not half bad yourself..." Roxas said, immediately trailing off into a powerful moan, his back arching off the mattress as Axel grabbed his cock and began pumping in rhythm. _Beinga virgin is _so_ overrated,_ Roxas thought as his eyes closed.

--

Zexion had been watching Demyx's hips for the past ten minutes, noticing how they swayed so much more than normal when he was drunk. The sprinter's loose pants were just low enough to cover what was necessary, although Zexion did get a good view of his bare hips whenever Demyx's shirt rode up a bit. Finally Zexion moved from his spot in the corner to walk up behind Demyx, grabbing him around the waist and kissing the back of his neck in greeting. Demyx immediately reciprocated, turning around in the embrace and capturing Zexion's lips, sucking lightly. There were a few whistles behind them, mainly coming from a smirking Riku and a few girls from both the Destiny and the Twilight team.

"Let's take this somewhere else," Zexion muttered in his boyfriend's ear, already beginning to march the slightly off-balance teen out into the backyard. It was dark outside, being almost ten o'clock, and there was a dramatic shadow effect wherever the small porch light didn't reach. The two found a dark corner that wasn't already inhabited by a couple, and Zexion let hormones take over. As he nipped and sucked at Demyx's collarbone, the blond spoke, his voice husky.

"What turns you on, Zex?" Demyx whispered. Zexion laughed.

"In general? You," the long-distance runner said, kissing the blond after speaking, as if to prove his point. Demyx leaned back, letting Zexion practically pin him against the building with his hands as the teen's tongue snaked into his mouth, igniting a moan.

"Where the fuck did you learn to kiss like that?" Demyx gasped when their kiss broke off for air. Zexion shrugged, not answering except to kiss him again. Demyx wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, pulling them closer together as he let Zexion's tongue swirl in his mouth once again, sucking on his own tongue. Several meters away, two giggling girls were hiding underneath the porch, watching the two.

"My god, they make _such_ a good couple. How come we didn't see this last year?" Rikku said, her gaze fixed on the two boys. Tifa shoved her out of the way.

"_Move_, Rikku, I can't see!" she exclaimed, gasping when she saw the two. "Holy fuck. Where in hell did Zexion learn to kiss like that?" she asked, her eyes wide. Rikku laughed, moving her head close to her friend's so they could both see.

"I have no idea, but Demyx is fucking _lucky_. I wish I could snag a boyfriend who used his mouth like _that_," she said dreamily. Tifa rolled her eyes, although she silently agreed.

"We should blackmail them," Tifa whispered a moment later. Rikku looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because _we _were the ones who got them together," she said smugly. Rikku considered for a moment before shaking her head.

"They kissed for the first time before we did anything. It would have happened in time, you know," she commented. Tifa flickered her hair over her shoulder, turning back to the two boys in the shadows.

"Come _on_, Rikku. Blackmailing people is fun!" she exclaimed.

"What do we have against them?" Rikku deadpanned. Tifa's face fell as she realized they didn't really have any blackmail material that would make sense. She shrugged, letting the idea go.

"Oooh," she whispered, her eyes still fixed on Demyx and Zexion, "I am so fucking turned on right now...you think Axel would let me borrow Blondie for like, fifteen minutes?" she asked. Rikku laughed.

"Hell no. He'd eat you alive. Besides, the two are up in Roxas's room right now," Rikku said with a smirk. Tifa looked at her, eyebrows raised.

"_Really_? What window is it?" she asked eagerly. Rikku pointed to one on the second story, the blinds still open. "Oh my _god_ we need to get a view into that room..._now_," Tifa said, jumping out of there hiding spot. "Ladder...ladder...let's find a ladder!" she sang, excitement in her voice. Rikku followed her black-haired friend with a an expression of amusement, taking a last glance at Zexion and Demyx, who were no longer flattened against the building, but lying on the grass, moans rising from the couple.

"Maybe we should stay..." Rikku said thoughtfully, but Tifa shook her head.

"Axel can kiss, too. But he fucks people better...and I'll bet Blondie takes it real well...Let's _go_!"

--

Riku and Sora were standing on the other side of the house, Sora wrapped tightly in Riku's arms, and the silver-haired boy's head resting on the top of Sora's. The loud music from inside the house was barely audible, and the only sounds either were really focused on were their pulsing hearts and light breathing.

"I think Roxas and Axel are having sex right now," Sora said out-of-the-blue. Riku smiled at the picture of Axel's elated face—he was sure he would hear all about it tomorrow, whether he wanted to or not.

"Yup. And Zex and Demyx are making out in the backyard."

"Cloud and Leon must be feeling left out," Sora commented with a snicker. Riku smiled in amusement, giving his boyfriend a tighter squeeze.

"This season was unbelievably amazing, huh?" he whispered. Sora nodded, his cheek pressed up against Riku's chest.

"Started off like shit...but yeah...it was amazing. I feel...ready. Ready for anything," Sora replied.

"Good," Riku said. There was silence for a moment, before the silver-haired runner spoke again. "Sora? Where do you think we'll be in five or so years?" he asked. Sora shrugged as much as possible given their position.

"Oh, we'll all be famous runners, and Leon and Cloud will be famous trainers, and Zexion will be helping hundreds of traumatized children, and we'll all meet up on weekends and laugh about all the crazy stuff we did back in high school...something like that. I actually don't really care right now. I mean...I used to dream of being a signed runner, contracted and everything, but now it doesn't seem so important. There are other things out there...and really, track's just a sport. It doesn't mean as much to me as Roxas does, or Cloud, or Axel or Demyx or Zexion...or you," Sora said, looking up to make eye contact with his boyfriend. Riku was smiling down at him, a slightly far-away look in his eye as he nodded.

"I learned that too; I'm glad I did. It's something that everyone has to learn, but we learned in a good way, didn't we?" Riku breathed. Sora nodded.

"Yeah, we did. Perfect time too, because there's a whole bunch of shit we still have to deal with in a month or so," Sora commented, thinking ahead to all three trials, and his move to Leon's.

"Hey, we're all here for you, and for Roxas, and Cloud. We're ready, remember? Ready for anything," Riku said seriously. Sora smiled at him and wrapped his arms around Riku's neck, pulling the taller boy a bit lower before pressing their lips together. Riku melted into the kiss, picking Sora up and letting the brunet wrap his legs around his waist.

"Definitely ready..." Sora's voice changed tones, "..._Very_ ready." It was dark enough that Sora seemed a bit muted in color except for his vibrant blue eyes, gleaming with a confident and slightly sultry look.

_This is going to be the best year _ever_,_ Riku thought as he kissed the runner in his arms with a passionate promise, fire, coming from Sora's fingertips, rushing through him.

Finé

--

There are still a few things I don't really love about this chapter, but they all needed to be in there. Wow. It's weird that TS is finally over, kind of. I'm happy, but I'll miss, especially Axel and Roxas, and Zexion, to be really honest. I've told a few people this, but now I think I'll just let everyone know. I'm thinking…thinking, mind you…of doing a sister piece to TS focusing on Zexion's story, going from the time with his father and stopping just short of TS, or maybe overlapping by a chapter. It would also be a look into Riku and Axel's old lives, and Leon's as well. Fun stuff.

Anyway, the next story I'll be posting is a Harry Potter fiction work, in case anyone is wondering. It'll be a Harry/Draco story, AU, revolving around this art school that both the boys attend. In my mind, it's easily my best plotline yet. I can't even tell you all how happy I am with it. Anyway…

I feel like I should give you all some profound 'thank you' or parting message or something. But I'm not very good at writing long, drawn out forms of 'thank you', so this will have to do: **THANK YOU** to all the readers who read the entire story, and even the readers who read only the first parts of the story. **THANK YOU** to all the reviewers who went above and beyond a simple review (I would name you all, but there's rather a lot of you fabulous people and I'm afraid I would leave someone off the list). **THANK YOU** to all the readers who left reviews when they could—every word counts, you know. **THANK YOU** to everyone who gave me inspiration and ideas for TS. **THANK YOU** to the two people who consistently beated my work and gave me feedback (lookin' at you, Riku-stalker and BMC). And **THANK YOU** to every other person who had some part in the writing of this story, from my friend who gave me the idea, my teacher who gave me another idea for it, and a few of the flamers that didn't even like TS! Thanks to you all, you have been _by far _the best group of readers following one of my stories. I'm so happy!

Well, that's all for now. I'll hopefully 'see' you all again when I post the epilogue!

And, I'd like to humbly ask all readers who haven't left me a note, and even those who have before, to do so for this chapter. I understand if you don't have time to write a three-page critique, but two words or even one is appreciated. It's nice to hear from some of the quieter ones around here! ;)

Sincerely,

Wykkyd


	33. Epilogue: The New Season

**Disclaimer**: Kingdom Hearts and its characters belong to Square Enix, yo.

**A/N**: Hey guys. First...I know this is a really long time after I finished TS. I'm really sorry, and didn't intend the wait to be this long at all. For those of you who have been reviewing and commenting on my story after I posted the last chapter, I really appreciate it. Although I didn't reply to many of your reviews, I did read every one, and got quite a bit of inspiration from many of them. Thank you all.

A quick shout-out to some of you guys who commented with amazing critique, suggestions, ideas, and provided me with a stunning amount of inspiration to finish this story, even when I was suffering writers' block or such. This list is not all of the amazing reviewers out there, but a list of the people who provided support over and above that of many of my readers. I cannot thank you enough, **-WhiteRibbons-, kettish, Rydia Asuka, Valentined, xforalways, ToraChibiChan, finem, glomping kawaii, and frosty.**

Last but not least, this is the second draft of this epilogue. After slaving to make my first attempt work for months I finally just said fuck it and re wrote it. During that time I also wrote the beginning of Zexion's story. I'm not sure if I'll ever finish it, even though I still really like the idea. For those of you who I didn't tell, or can't remember, I have this idea to write a Zex-centric story that correlates with TS. Zexion's abuse was much different with Sora, and in some ways had more drastic consequences. Because I'm obsessed with psychology, I would like to explore Zexion's head a little more...sometime in the future. SO....I'm going to post another chapter to this story that has my first take on this epilogue (it's very unfinished, but you guys might enjoy skimming through it), and I'll also post the beginning of my Zex-centric story. After that...who knows!

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**Track Season**

**New Season – Track Season Epilogue**

Roxas decided that the beach was a good place to be in the summer. Especially when it was ninety degrees out and humid enough that bugs could hardly fly. He imagined their wings sticking together and moaned pitifully, whimpering in protest of the heat. The beach was a good place to be, and Roxas was very jealous of all the smart people who were actually at the beach right now. He glanced to his right, where Sora normally was, but of course Sora had called him and said he couldn't come this morning, so there Roxas was, running through the park on Destiny Island in ninety-degree-weather with no one to complain to.

Axel and Zexion were at work, Demyx was one of the smart people at the beach, and Hayner, Tidus, and Pence were all on vacation. And so after moping for half an hour he finally changed into clothes that supposably kept people cool and let Cloud kick him out of the house. Leon was over anyway, and Roxas didn't need to see his brother and brother's boyfriend having sex on the dining room table. Because really, he had eaten there last night. He would eat there tonight.

Sora had been spending very little time on Destiny Island, actually, which was something that had been on Roxas' mind for a while. He hadn't really given much thought to Sora moving off the island and what it would mean for them. He had grown so used to his best friend's presence that Roxas didn't even think it would be much different. Yeah. _Wrong_. He knew Sora was trying his best to keep things the same, but it was kind of impossible. He took the ferry over whenever he could, but it wasn't the same when Roxas couldn't just call Sora and then the brunet would show up at his house five minutes later. It was more like 'umm...yeah...I'll just pack a bag really quick and then jump on the ferry. I'll meet you at the docks in like....forty minutes or something?' It was different.

Riku saw Sora more than Roxas got to, which bothered the blond more than he would ever admit to anyone but Cloud—and he wasn't completely sober that one time so it really didn't count all that much. Really, it was like Sora would rather spend..._What the fuck am I thinking? _Roxas stopped jogging and stomped up to an ice-cream vendor, pulling out the five dollar bill that he kept in the pocket of his running shorts.

"Hey, what'cha want?" the girl asked, a propeller on her rainbow beanie spinning with the toss of her head. Roxas glared at her and slammed his money on the makeshift counter. It wobbled under the pressure.

"Something red. With a shitload of dye in it that's going to dye my mouth pink for a fucking week," he snapped. She stared at him for a moment, jaw slack, before his glare really got to her and she grabbed a vaguely red popsicle out of her freezer and took his money. Roxas didn't even count the change before stalking off and flopping down onto the nearest bench. He really shouldn't be that angry that Sora wasn't on Destiny as much any more. It made sense. But as stupid and girly as it was, Roxas couldn't help but feel Sora was gone. Not _gone _gone, just gone. It was just...Roxas sighed..._different_.

"You look like you're in a bitchy mood," someone said to his right. Roxas summoned his evilest glare and then looked up to stare...Kairi...right in the face. His glare wilted. "I thought so," Kairi sat down next to him. "What's up?" Roxas brought the evil glare back.

"None of your fucking business."

"I'm coming over to your house for dinner tonight with my mom. I don't want to deal with your bitchiness, thank you very much," she announced. Roxas bit off the top of his popsicle, wondering why people found them so sensual. Seriously. You fucking _bite _them.

"Leon is fucking Cloud into the table we'll be eating on tonight," Roxas said. Kairi didn't have a response to that for a few moments.

"Wow. Thanks, Rox. I love it when you drop lines like that," she said. Roxas picked up the sarcasm very quickly.

"They fucking are. I god damn walked in on them the other day," he snapped. Kairi rolled her eyes.

"Seriously, Miss Bitch. What's up?"

"Nothing." Roxas saw her give him that girl-glare, the one where they cock their head to the side, narrow their eyes and stare because they know you're lying. But then her face brightened and she stood up.

"Okay, whatever, Rox. I'll see you tonight then," she said, without a hint of sarcasm. Roxas was kind of disappointed that she hadn't pressed the issue, and without thinking he blurted out his question.

"Do you know what Sora's doing this morning?" Kairi turned around and stopped walking away from the blond, eyebrows raised.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You heard me," Roxas said, glaring again.

"Is that what your problem is? God, you _loser_."

"Just answer me." Kairi put her hands on her hips, shifting her weight to her right leg.

"Sora's visiting his father. I'm really...surprised he didn't tell you." Roxas was silent, staring in shock at his kneecaps, and Kairi came up and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's not that bad, Rox. He probably just didn't want to bother you or something. I mean, it's not like he told me, either. Rikku told me...I think there's a rumor running around in Twilight Town."

"Rumor?" Roxas asked weakly. Kairi shrugged.

"Well, yeah. If Rikku knows, then it was probably Tifa who told her, and I guess if Tifa knows either Axel, Namine, Yuffie, or Olette told her. I'm guessing Axel, because he's closer to Sora than all the girls," she explained. Roxas's slouch deepened, his half-eaten popsicle held in his left hand, pointed down and dripping on the dirt.

"Why wouldn't he tell me?" he wondered out loud. Sora was his best friend. And wasn't visiting his father kind of a big deal or something? "He wanted to go with Riku, didn't he?" Roxas asked Kairi.

"Well..." Kairi glanced away from before nodding reluctantly, "Sora did ask Riku to go with him. His first choice was Zexion, but Zex said no, so Sora asked Riku."

"Who of _course _fucking _jumped _at the chance," Roxas snarled.

"Oh come off it, Rox. And if you really can't, then at least go confront Sora about it. Preferably before I have to eat dinner with you tonight." Roxas thought about her answer, and while sitting on the bench and moping sounded really appealing right then, he was also really eager to go take a cold shower and cool off. He nodded slowly, agreeing to her suggestion, and stood up. "Hey, if you're really going to go over there, can I come? I'll split before you talk with Sora; I want to go see Namine anyway." Roxas shrugged, a yes, in his language. Kairi interpreted correctly and announced they would meet at the docks in half an hour.

"Forty-five minutes," Roxas demanded, scowling.

"Fine...we'll have to wait ten minutes or so for the ferry to come back, though." Roxas shrugged.

"Sure," he answered, jogging down the trail in the direction of his house. _Oh shit...I'm totally going to walk in on them again..._

_: : :_

Sora was wrapped in Riku's arms when Roxas saw him first, right outside the city's small jail. He wasn't crying, but did look pretty shaken, and Riku was doing his best to calm his boyfriend down. As much as Roxas wanted to confront Sora about being left in the dark, it was pretty obvious that this wasn't the best time for it. So he waited for one of them to notice him first, and, as Sora's face was pressed into Riku's chest, it was Riku who noticed the blond leaning against the light post nearby. He nodded his head in greeting, whispering something in Sora's ear. Sora looked up just enough to see Roxas, gave a weak smile, and went back to inhaling Riku's shirt. Roxas rolled his eyes and walked over.

"Hey, So," he said softly.

"Hey, Rox," Sora replied, face still hidden from view. "I'm sorry, you know, about not telling you..."

"It's fine, Sora. I'm sure he understands," Riku cut in, giving Roxas that boyfriend look. _Do not pick a fight, asshole. _Roxas glared back. "Where's Axel?"

"Yeah, because that's really going to distract me from all of this." Roxas motioned to Sora and the prison behind him.

"Look, Rox, I know you have good intentions, but this probably isn't the time," Riku said, holding Sora tighter. Roxas sneered and turned away.

"Whatever. Call me if you _think of it_, Sora," Roxas said. He heard Sora's first sob muffled by Riku's chest and knew the silver-haired kid was going to be pissed for making Sora cry. _Bring it on._

Axel worked at the ice cream trailer near the beach—Sora was significant in that decision—and Roxas jumped on bus A6 that drove near the beach. He wasn't too worried about Sora being angry with him, or even Riku for that matter, so it wasn't hard to put that out of his head. He was still pissed that Sora hadn't even _told _him he was visiting Roy, though, and even the thought of Axel in a rainbow beanie with 'Rainbow Express' printed on it was enough to cheer him up.

When Roxas jumped off the bus and jogged the short distance to Rainbow Express Ice Cream trailer, he saw that Axel wasn't even wearing his beanie.

"Hey, Ax. Where's the hat? You know...it's uniform," he teased, jumping onto the countertop and swinging his legs over until he was able to jump into the small space behind the counter. The redhead procured the hat from his back pocket and crammed it on Roxas' head, giving the propellor on top a spin for good measure.

"It looks so much better on you, Blondie. I just can't help but save it for you," he answered, looping his thumbs through Roxas' belt loops and dragging the teen into a heavy kiss. "You should have come by sooner," Axel murmured against his boyfriend's lips. "This jobs _sucks_." Roxas laughed, stepping back a bit to look at the ice cream in the large containers.

"Why didn't you decide to work somewhere else?" Roxas asked. He heard Axel snort and the rattle of an ice cream scoop being pulled out of a jar. Moments later Axel shoved him aside and started scooping something blue into a bowl.

"Sea salt's the best. You'll like it. And dude, you know how Sora his when he wants you to do something," Axel explained. Roxas leaned against the counter, glaring a small girl away from the shop.

"Yeah. Hey, by the way, asshole, you totally knew what Sora was doing this morning, and you didn't think to clue me in?" Roxas asked, grabbing the bowl of ice cream from Axel, and yanking a spoon out of the jar near his hip with more force than necessary.

"Shit, Mini didn't tell you?" Axel asked incredulously, grabbing a second spoon and stealing a bite of blue ice cream. Roxas glared at the bowl in his hands, stabbing at it with his spoon. "I take it that's a no," Axel continued.

"Why this fuck wouldn't he tell me, Axel? I mean...he told you, right?" Axel grabbed the hand that was mutilating the ice cream.

"Yes, he told me. And of course I would have told you, but I completely assumed you already knew. As it is, I just found out yesterday."

"Riku went with him." Axel sighed.

"Oh come off it, Rox. It's not like Sora meant anything by it, and Riku's not like...trying to replace you or anything. So if that's what this is about, lay off," he said. Roxas took a bite, sucking on the spoon before answering.

"I know, I just...forget it," he sighed, taking another bite. Axel spun Roxas' propellor before turning to rinse the ice cream scoop in the sink.

"What?" he asked seriously.

"I just get this weird feeling that Riku has something against me all of a sudden," Roxas said. Axel shook his head.

"Naw. I think Riku's just worried that Sora's gonna start, not liking him, or something. He's been talking about how he's worried Sora's going to move on."

"Well, shit, it's not like I'm _competition!_" Roxas exclaimed, waving the spoon in the air for emphasis. Axel shrugged.

"And it's not like Sora's even thinking about breaking it off with Riku. So yeah, he's completely wacked, but don't get soap opera-y about it and start plotting revenge," Axel reasoned.

"Whatever. What are you doing after work?" Roxas asked around a mouthful of ice cream.

"Hanging out with you. I think we should go make out at the beach," Axel said with a smirk.

"God, what ever happed to being romantic?" Roxas quipped, handing the bowl of ice cream to his boyfriend. Axel accepted it, finishing the last mound of dessert in one bite.

"What's not romantic about making out at the beach?" Axel asked around his mouthful. Roxas snorted, stalking over to the redhead and pressing their chests together, resting his hands on Axel's hips.

"Axel, you will forever be clueless about romanticism, so it's a really fucking good thing I decided to give you a chance," he explained, sliding his hands into Axel's back pockets. The tall teenager tossed the ice cream bowl and spoon into the trash and wrapped his arms around Roxas' shoulders, resting his chin on Roxas' head.

"Since when do you start caring about romance? Should I start planning a candlelight dinner?" he asked, one hand straying up Roxas' shirt. The blond chuckled, more of a forceful exhale, and let Axel spin them around so Roxas was pressed in between the countertop and his boyfriend, Axel sucking lightly on the spot behind his ear.

"Mmm...ahh...no, no candlelight for me. I think making out on the beach will work okay, actually," Roxas breathed, cocking his head to one side so Axel could lean over and trail his lips down Roxas' neck. "It's just...ohfuck...I have...We're having...shit" Roxas gave up speaking coherently, slipping one hand out of Axel's pocket to curl his fingers in the bright red hair, pulling Axel closer and running his lip along Axel's lower lip. The taller teen let Roxas slip his tongue inside his mouth, biting on it lightly and then sucking hard. Roxas was easy prey, melting into Axel's arms with a small whimper, almost purring at the attention. A loud banging behind them brought Axel's tongue out of Roxas' mouth, one hand pulling the blond's shirt down before he turned around.

Riku was glaring at the two of them, one fist lying on the counter where he had been banging on it, one arm around a rather red-faced and puffy-eyed Sora who was avoiding everyone's eyes. Roxas stepped out from behind Axel, crossing his arms and glaring at the silver-haired teen.

"How can I help you, Mr. Hukia?" Axel asked, acting the perfectly innocent employee. "I must say, the pecan praline is fantastic, and it comes in both sugar free and fat free. Of course, if you're not interested in pecans, I have a lovely—"

"Shut the fuck up, you moron. I'm having vanilla and Sora wants strawberry," Riku growled. "And seriously, you can't make out with Roxas at _work, _Axel. Whatshisname's gonna fire you," he mentioned, then, looking at Roxas, added "nice hat, retard". Roxas grabbed the rainbow beanie on his head and tossed it on the counter with a scowl. Sora looked up, smiling sheepishly.

"And then you can't give us free ice cream!" he said. Roxas' expression softened slightly, as did Riku's, Sora's comment relieving a considerable amount of tension.

"Yeah...no paycheck," Roxas added, standing next to Axel and elbowing him in the ribs. Axel rolled his eyes, obediently serving Riku and Sora's ice cream, jerking his head in the direction of the tip jar.

"_Tip_, for once, why don't you? You'd still be paying less than you would be if you actually _bought _it," he said. Riku raised an eyebrow, glancing at Roxas.

"You never make Roxas tip," he pointed out. Axel winked.

"Oh yes I do...and if you and Sora hadn't shown up, he would still be tipping," he drawled. Roxas turned red and spun around, facing the back of the small trailer in embarassment. Riku and Sora both laughed, Riku muttering about pervs and Sora just about as red as Roxas for no reason save empathy for his best friend.

"Hey, Rox, want to come running with me in about half an hour?" Sora asked, his eyes once again shyly downcast. Riku opened his mouth to speak and Axel cut him off with a sharp shake of his head.

"Uh...sure, I guess. I'll have to borrow some clothes of yours to run in, though: that okay?" Roxas asked, eyeing Riku and daring him to butt in. Sora brightened, a smile spreading across his face.

"Sure! I have to run home anyway with Riku so he can pick up some of his stuff," Axel and Roxas' eyebrows rose in interest, and Sora pointedly ignored that, "and I'll just grab some stuff for you to run in. You can meet me up at the bathrooms," he suggested. Roxas nodded.

"Yeah, sounds good, So." Sora's smile grew wider, if possible, and Axel handed him a large cone of pink ice cream, shoving a bowl of vanilla towards Riku.

"So...are you going to burst into tears or something if I ask you how the jail visit went?" Axel asked, a kind gesture depending on how you looked at it. The brunet shrugged, still smiling softly.

"It wasn't so bad, actually. Pretty painless although...I don't know, I miss them and all, and it just hurts to see them through glass and in jail clothes. But really, it went really well. I guess dad is in some sort of rehab program and he seems like he's at least...you know, a little sorry about...you know," Sora shrugged again, trailing off. Riku wrapped an arm around him again.

"Yeah, Roy's in some anger management classes, and has been working with a company to try and eliminate some of the debt the Atari's are in. The counselor said they were working on the root of the problem, the debt, stress, and frustration," Riku said, although he didn't seem quite as optimistic as Sora about Roy's recovery.

"I might even be able to live with them once they're out of prison! You know, if I feel like it during the summers when I'm not at college." Sora chirped. Riku glared, definitely not sharing his boyfriend's enthusiasm. Roxas gave a rather hesitant smile, glancing at Riku and sharing a look. They seemed to have similar feelings about Sora's parents, but neither said anything.

"Well, Sora, we should probably head back to your place so I can grab my stuff. Then you can come back and go running with Roxas," he suggested.

"Yeah...we're having Kairi's family over for dinner tonight, so I'm supposed to be home by five," Roxas mentioned. Sora nodded, waving as Riku ushered him back to the parking lot.

"See ya in few, Rox, get ready to get your ass kicked!" Sora yelled.

"Yeah right, shortie!" Roxas called back, smiling. Axel turned to the blond.

"You didn't mention dinner with Kairi," he said. Roxas shrugged.

"Uh huh, I'm cheating on you with her, I was just waiting for the right time to tell you. God...she has the most _amazing _breasts, Axel, I could just go on and on about them," Roxas quipped, smacking Axel's stomach. The redhead laughed, ruffling Roxas' hair.

"Well, now that you mention it, I've been fucking Tifa every night, so I guess we're even, huh? No worries, right? I mean, Tifa's so good in bed..." Roxas made a grossed-out face.

"Okay, this is getting sick. Do you sell water bottles? Sora and I are going to die out there if we race," Roxas said, looking around the ice cream trailer for water. Axel jerked his head towards the refrigerator in the corner.

"Dollar each," he said with an apologetic shrug. Roxas gave his boyfriend two dollars without complaint and grabbed a bottle each for him and Sora.

"So...do you think you'll have any time after your run and before dinner?" Axel asked casually, although Roxas saw the spark of hope in his green eyes. He smiled and stood on his tip toes to lightly kiss Axel's lips.

"Probably not. I'll need to take another shower before dinner, so I should head home right after I'm done with Sora."

"I thought you already went running today," Axel pointed out, disappointed Roxas wouldn't have time for a quick meeting down on the beach later.

"Yeah, this isn't really about running though, you know? I guess I owe him an apology for kind of going off on him earlier, and he feels bad about the whole thing too. We just need to spend some time together and all," Roxas explained. Axel smiled.

"I know, Blondie," he said.

"Kairi's mom has a really early shift at the hospital tomorrow, though, so they'll probably be leaving around eight-thirty or nine. My dad's planning on going out with Cloud to some new bar around ten, so...how about you take the ten o'clock ferry and meet me on the island?" Roxas asked, smirking. Axel grinned back.

"You are a wicked, boy, Roxas. What would Sora say?" Axel teased.

"To use protection," Roxas answered back, ducking Axel's fist that was aiming for his shoulder.

"Get outta here, bitch. I'll see you tonight," Axel said, even as Roxas swung his legs over the counter and jumped out of the trailer with a wave.

"Love you, darling!" Roxas sang as he jogged away from the redhead, and Axel wondered why he jumped through hoops for that kid...

:::

Roxas tapped his sneakers on the sand, sitting on a rock near the public bathrooms of Twilight Town's beach while waiting for his best friend to show. All in all, the summer so far was going well, little disasters such as this morning aside. When Sora was not training for next season—Roxas and Zexion had convinced him to try cross country in the fall—hanging out with friends or Riku, he volunteered for the Twilight Town Risk Center. TTRC, as it was known, was a hospice and home for abused and neglected children, providing care and counseling for a time while trying to find a permanent home for the children. Sora had taken on the job of liaison for abused children who were about to move in with a permanent family. He helped the families realize what taking care of an emotionally scarred child meant, and helped the children themselves realize what living with a normal family was like. Zexion was actually paid to work at the TTRC, working in the office as secretary and overall organizer, and providing witness in any relevant court case.

The work seemed to help both Sora and Zexion, which was a comfort to everyone. Zexion still had a few skeletons in his closet, more like rotting corpses, actually, that were discovered in the beginning of the summer, and it was agreed by him and Leon that the best course of action would be letting Zexion talk to a counselor. No one really knew what happened to actually get him there, and Leon, Demyx, and Sora, the only people who knew the whole story aside from Zexion, weren't talking. Roxas remembered a lot of Zexion's friends were pretty worried for a while, himself included, and Sora had been flipping out right alongside Zexion when the cross-country runner cracked, but things had definitely evened out. For once, it seemed like the summer might turn out to be trauma-free and normal.

Roxas himself had a sort-of job bussing tables in this tourist restaurant on the island, but his schedule was pretty much whenever he felt like showing up, which was rarely. It left lots of free time to train for cross country and bug Axel at work. The only drama that broke into his summer had been the trials, although he wasn't the only one suffering their drama. His own trail had gone well, Marluxia, Saix, and the other defendants were securely locked up on a million charges of possession and distribution, manslaughter, kidnapping, as well as other charges that came up during the trail. Roxas hardly even thought about them any more.

Roy and Caroline's trial had been challenging. They cooperated with the authorities and got a light sentence, in Roxas' mind, and they did have a hope of getting out of prison and having Sora live with them if he chose (allowing for college, of course). Sora had requested they stay in Twilight Town's prison facility so he could see them every once in a while, and the Atari parents enrolled in counseling programs to help debt and anger-induced stress.

Cloud still had an impending trial, and Roxas was getting pretty nervous for it. It wasn't as if Sephiroth stood much of a chance, but Cloud was having trouble with the idea of sending his ex-lover to jail—for a really fucking long time—and Roxas was anxious for his brother. The ex-runner had decided to press charges against Sephiroth for the injury to his knee, which complicated the trail, but also ensured that Sephiroth would end up with a long sentence.

Although the trials had been a little rough, Roxas thought that his personal low-point of the summer happened the week after the state track championship...when his father came home. Roxas was all set to pretend nothing happened, but Cloud refused to let his brother off that easily, and with two court dates set involving the Strifes, it wouldn't have been easy to not let their father in on it. So in what was possibly the most awkward and embarrassing conversation of his life, Roxas got to explain to his father that he was gay, going out with someone two years older than him who looked like, well, _Axel_, had been addicted to drugs in eighth grade, raped by his dealer, recently kidnapped by the guy, and molested. And then Cloud told his story: he was gay, dating, and raped by his ex. And then Sora's story: abused by parents for years, (kicked ass during track season), ran away from his parents, and then went back to land himself in a whole bunch of trouble.

"_Yeah dad, it was a pretty crazy year," _Roxas had added to sum things up, waiting for the explosion. It came. Like expected. Roxas' dad switched jobs within his company so he could work from home, unwilling to leave Roxas alone so much anymore.

Roxas was jerked out of his musings when Sora ran up to him, shoving a pair of running shorts and sneakers in his face and telling him to go change. Roxas did so, glad that he and Sora were the same size, and that his friend had thought to bring him sneakers. Roxas hated running in his Converse; his feet felt flattened every time he did.

They started at a slow pace, mindful of the heat, making small talk and avoiding the visit to the prison altogether. After the two were warmed up Roxas caught Sora's glance, raised eyebrows, expectant face.

"You're _on," _he said, waiting for Sora to make the first move. The brunet skipped a step and then notched into second gear, his feet pounding the hard sand in rapid succession. Roxas followed, two steps behind, already calculating the race. Sora was a brilliant runner, and normally Roxas had very little chance of beating him. There was the occasional tie, but only if Sora stumbled or otherwise screwed up. But this time they were running a longer race, which was Roxas' game. If Sora didn't pace himself, and Roxas knew by his current pace that he wasn't, then Roxas had the upper edge.

The blond let his pace fall off a few more steps, now almost three meters behind his friend. Sora ran on, his strong legs pumping hard, his arms moving in time to his feet. Roxas watched in fascination, marveling at Sora's grace and fluidity while running. Him and Riku had very similar styles, it wasn't a wonder that they gave each other so much competition.

Roxas had been training during the summer with Zexion, as they were the only two cross country runners within their group, aside from Sora. Sora occasionally trained with them, but he spent more time running with Riku just for fun then going on ten-plus-mile runs with Zexion and Roxas. Riku wouldn't be running in the fall as he joined the swim team for the winter, and Axel, sprinter to the death, flatly refused to run more than four hundred meters. "_Miles!? _What the _fuck! _It's not even _possible _to run for miles, you retard!".

Roxas and Sora's race came to a grinding halt, Sora still a few feet ahead of Roxas, when they ran into a party of kids playing Red Rover on the beach. No way through without toppling a pile of six-year-olds. Sora stuck his tongue out at his friend, bragging about his win in his own way, and Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Next time, Sora," he said, like he always did. Sora blew it off and made raspberries for a few more seconds before he started walking with Roxas up the beach to go find a spot to sit down, cool off, and drain the last of their water.

"So..." Sora began, once his breathing calmed and most of the sweat was wiped from his face. Roxas looked up.

"Sora, why didn't you just tell me?" he asked bluntly. Sora sighed and ran a hand through his hair, shrugging.

"I just...I didn't want you to come with me because you, well, you would have just flipped out and started yelling at my dad. I know you, Rox, and I didn't want that to happen," Sora explained.

"So? You still could have told me, and if you really wanted me to come with you, I wouldn't have yelled at Roy. You just have to tell me things like that," Roxas said, his blue eyes meeting with Sora's.

"I know, Rox. And I'm really sorry. I just...I didn't want you to get mad at Riku, or think that...I don't know, that you weren't my best friend anymore. I was going to tell you today or tomorrow, I just...well, you found out first."

"You told everyone else! Did you really think it wouldn't be mentioned?" Roxas exclaimed. Sora laughed, shaking his head at his own foolishness.

"I guess not. That was pretty dumb. But really, Rox, I didn't mean anything by it. I just didn't want you to freak out. Honestly," he said. Roxas nodded.

"Yeah, I guess I see where you're coming from. When will you get to see them again?" he asked. Sora smiled.

"Next month, same day. I'll get to see my mom too, 'cause I didn't get to see her today." Roxas nodded. "Do you want to come with me?" Sora asked cautiously. Roxas' head snapped up in surprise.

"But I thought..."

"You said you wouldn't flip out if I asked you not to. So I'm asking you not to flip and start yelling, but I would really like you to come. You're my best friend, Rox," Sora added. Roxas gave a Sora-like grin, nodding his head.

"Sure, just give me a couple days heads up. I'll come with you." Sora leapt up and threw his arms around Roxas, squeezing him hard. Roxas' water bottle was knocked into the sand, but he reciprocated the hug.

"I missed you, Rox, we don't hang out enough anymore."

"Yeah, we really don't," Roxas said dryly. "Come over for dinner tonight? Kairi would like to see you, too." The two boys let go of each other, and Roxas retrieved his water bottle, lobbing it into a near-by trashcan.

"Sure. I'll have to go home and change, though, that okay?" Sora asked, standing up and brushing sand from his pants.

"That's fine. I'll change at your house too, then we can catch the ferry back to my place."

"What are you doing late tonight?" Sora wondered, and Roxas winked.

"Sneaking out. Don't tell...I'll be grounded."

"Yeah, because that's never happened before," Sora said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "...And use protection." Roxas slammed a fist into his shoulder, laughing.

"So what were you doing with Riku last night?" he asked slyly, watching in amusement as Sora's face instantly turned ten shades of red. The brunet stammered for a little while, before Roxas realized the extent of his reaction. "Holy shit, Sora, he totally fucked you last night!" Roxas exclaimed in shock. Sora's face threatened to combust, and the stammering grew to exponential efforts. "I don't believe it!"

"God, Rox!" Sora finally managed to spit out, "you don't have to put it like _that. _And how'd you know anyway?"

"Oh god! My best friend is no longer a virgin! I should throw you a party!" Roxas said, while Sora was busy trying to vanish into thin air.

"Roxaaaas," he moaned pitifully.

"You have to tell me all about it," Roxas demanded.

"No! You didn't tell me about you and Axel...not that I wanted to know in the first place," Sora pointed out.

"Oh come on..."

"No. Yes, we had sex, and it was fine, and that's all I'm telling you."

"Just fine?"

"Brilliant," Sora's face split into a grin, and he glanced at his friend, who was smirking far to evilly to be normal.

"Welcome to the world of men, Sora. You have finally come of age!" Roxas announced dramatically, while Sora looked ready to either punch him or just die of embarrassment.

"Only you would put me through this kind of humiliation, Roxas. When I have children I'm going to tell them to pick their best friends based on what their reactions will be when they find out you are no longer a virgin. I knew I shouldn't have hung out with you in kindergarten. God, I wish my parents had warned me," Sora whimpered, while Roxas ignored him and went on about Sora's ex-virginity. After a few more minutes of torturing his friend, Roxas finally stopped.

"Okay. I'll stop now...But you're gonna do it again, right?" he slipped in. Sora glared and shoved into him, chasing after the blond as he ran for his life back to the bathrooms on the other end of the beach, screaming obscene things in his wake.

"Roxas! Shut _up!"_

_::::_

Sora was glad he had accepted Roxas' invitation to dinner. It had been a while since he had been able to hang with Roxas and Kairi...kind of like old times. The three were able to find their old groove within minutes, playing a fiery game of Go Fish while eating ice cream for dessert.

"So...are we all in for track next spring?" Sora asked, handing Kairi the six of diamonds she had asked for.

"Duh, Sora," Roxas said, commanding a nine of hearts from Kairi.

"I guess so. I mean, I might as well, if you guys are all doing it," Kairi put in.

"Yeah, you should!" Sora encouraged cheerfully.

"I didn't know you were considering not running, Kai," Roxas mentioned, then requested the king of spades. The redhead girl shrugged.

"I didn't do as well as I hoped this past season, and it's not like I want to be a pro runner or anything, so I was just thinking of taking the season off and doing it again senior year," she explained. Roxas shook his head.

"Lame. It doesn't matter how well you do at meets, you know that."

"I know. I'm pretty sure I'll run this year, though, don't worry. Go fish," she told Sora. The brunet grinned and drew a card.

"Good. Honestly, I don't know how much I'll get to see you guys this year so if we all do track then that'll help us find time to hang out together," he mentioned.

"Aren't you going to Destiny High this year?!" Kairi asked. Sora shook his head ruefully.

"Nope. I talked about it with Leon and Cloud and a few of the DIH teachers. Everyone thought it would be best if I went to Twilight High. Less travel time, wouldn't have to get up really early in the morning to take the ferry over there and all that. But I promise I'll be able to come over here on weekends, and certain days after school," he said earnestly.

"We can always come over there, too," Roxas commented, "and we're running together in the fall, remember? Kai, you should run cross country too."

"I have soccer, so I can't. But I'll come visit you, Sora!"

"Sure. We'll work it out," Sora finished, setting another pair down in front of him, successfully winning the game. Roxas groaned and tossed his cards in with Kairi's. "Good game, guys!" Sora chirped.

"Shut up," Kairi grumbled, although her eyes were laughing and a grin threatened to break out. Kairi's mother called from the kitchen.

"We're gonna head out, kiddo! Come get ready." Kairi, Roxas, and Sora stood and Sora put his hand out, Kairi covered it, and Roxas covered Kairi's.

"To next year," Kairi said, smiling.

"To next year!" Sora and Roxas echoed, throwing their hands in the air. Kairi gave Sora a quick hug and whispered goodbye before she ran inside to get her coat and shoes. Roxas grabbed the cards from the deck.

"Yeah...Junior year, huh? You ready?" he asked Sora. The brunet laughed.

"Noooo...but we have a long time until school starts. Summer just barely started, right?" The two grinned at each other.

"Right."

Cloud stood in the kitchen window, watching the three friends salute next year, and then say goodbye as Kairi came running inside. Roxas picked up the cards and said something to Sora, who smiled and responded, and grabbed the cards from Roxas.

"Fifty-two card pick up!" the track star yelled, throwing the deck in the air.

"Fuck, Sora!" Roxas said loudly, covering his head while Sora ran around like a puppy, snatching cards out of the air. The oldest Strife smiled and turned from the window, smiling. Yeah...next year would be good.

* * *

Thanks for all your continuous, unfailing support. I hope to stay in touch with a few of you, so feel free to write, or send ideas, or anything!

-Wykkyd


	34. TS Epilogue Zexion's Story

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and characters belong to Square Enix, not me.

A/N: Take one of the TS epilogue. It wasn't working for me. I'm posting this because I do like some of the ideas in it, and hopefully some of you will too (let me know, yeah?). It isn't finished, I just cut it off. Sorry.

* * *

**Track Season**

**Epilogue Take One**

"Sora, you okay?" The brunet looked over at his friend who was sitting behind a desk, typing at a computer. He rolled his eyes.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Sora asked. Zexion glanced away from his computer to look at the petite boy in the lobby.

"I'm just reading the checklist of questions I'm supposed to ask volunteers," he stated simply. "There's a note here." Zexion waved to a pink sticky note on the desk. Sora smiled and walked over to verify that Zexion was telling the truth. Indeed, the sticky note asked Zexion to make sure Sora was okay after meeting with Denzel. Zexion decided to enlighten his friend. "Sora, a lot of times kids like us volunteer here when they're not ready to. I guess kids spend time with these younger guys and get really depressed, or angry, or whatever," he explained. Sora shrugged.

"It's not that bad. I mean, I only get to hang out with him once a week, but Denzel's great! He reminds me of...me, before...you know," Sora trailed off. Zexion pinned him down with intense blue eyes.

"You mean, before your father started abusing you," he rephrased. Sora sighed.

"Yeah, that's what I mean."

"So Denzel's doing well? Aerith said that the organization was pretty worried about him before you showed up and started spending time with him. Didn't they tell you?" Zexion asked. Sora shook his head and sat down across from his friend.

"They didn't tell me anything except that Denzel was abused by his mom and was put in foster care about four months ago. They didn't say he was having problems." Zexion looked to the computer and typed in Sora's charge's name, drumming his fingers on the mouse.

"Well..." he quickly scanned the document, while Sora leaned forward eagerly, "Denzel _was _abused by his mother, and then after the trial he was moved into foster care. He was with one family soon after his mother went to jail, and they were...unprepared to deal with an abused child. He didn't do very well, sunk into depression, and they eventually moved him back here. He's scheduled for a new family in a week and half, although the person who normally deals with all the business of meeting the family and preparing them for Denzel is going to be on vacation..." Zexion looked up at Sora with raised eyebrows.

"You mean, _I _could do it?" he asked with a grin. Zexion shrugged.

"I don't see any problem with it. You know Denzel the best out of everyone here, he hardly talks to anyone but you, and even then, normally he's talking _about _you," Zexion gave a snicker, "kinda like Riku." Sora blushed, ducking his head and murmuring something about Demyx. Zexion glared playfully, but didn't comment. "So what do you say? Would you be willing to take Denzel to meet his family on the fifteenth and then tell them about what they should be prepared for with Denzel? You would be his liaison, pretty much. Up to it?"

"Sure. It's not like I've got anything else to do all summer," Sora said. Zexion smiled.

"You'll be great at it, Sora. I'll let the director know we've solved that problem, and have her get you the paperwork and tell you a bit more about the job. It's nothing horribly intimidating, really. I'm a liaison for a girl who moved in with her family last month. All I did was make sure she was comfortable with the family and vice versa, and now I visit with both parties about once a month or so." Sora nodded.

"Sounds good. Thanks for suggesting it, Zex," Sora gave him another look, "ulterior motives aside." Zexion snorted, turning off the computer and standing up.

"Hey, we needed someone for the job, and I wasn't lying when I said you'd be perfect."

"You didn't say I'd be perfect, you said I'd be good," Sora pointed out, also standing up. Zexion shoved Sora's shoulder playfully.

"Did I? Of course I _meant _that you'd be absolutely, amazingly _perfect_ at the job. Never just _good_," he exclaimed dramatically. Sora stalked out of the door, rolling his eyes.

"You're a jerk. Does anyone ever tell you that?" he asked. Zexion pretended to ponder an answer while locking up.

"Oh yeah, Leon tells me all the time." Sora's jaw dropped in mock outrage.

"Leon? Are you comparing me to _Leon_?" he exclaimed. Zexion grinned and shook his head, wrapping an arm around Sora's shoulders.

"Come on, little bro, let's go meet the gang at the beach."

"I'm not your 'little bro'," Sora remarked.

"You're certainly not older than me," Zexion retorted.

"I hate how you're impossible to argue with!"

"So does everyone else, Sora. It's really not a big deal." Sora huffed, and stomped his way to Zexion's new car.

.......

Demyx pounced on Zexion as soon as the senior stepped out of his car and shut the door. The two slammed back into the door, Zexion successfully pinned by an ecstatic Demyx.

"Zexy! You're late! Why are you late?!" he exclaimed. Zexion raised an eyebrow.

"It's Zex_ion_, and I was late because Sora and I had some stuff to do over at the foster care place. Sorry I didn't call. And hello," he answered with a small smile. Demyx returned the smile, leaning in to quickly kiss his boyfriend before bouncing off again. Demyx took of his shirt as he ran down the beach, crashing into the water and sending a wave of water of Roxas, who looked half-drowned. Sora got out of the car and looked to his unofficial brother with a gleam in his eye.

"Enjoy the strip show, Zex?" he teased.

"It's Zex_ion_," the senior announced, choosing not to comment on the earlier part of Sora's question. "Go find your boy toy and leave me alone." The brunet chose to roll his eyes but not comment. He could see Riku watching their verbal exchanges from the silver-haired boy's spot next to Axel. As Sora made his way over to his boyfriend, Zexion walked down the beach to stand ankle-deep in the water and wait for Demyx to notice him again.

"I was about to come get you myself, and _drag _you out of that place," Riku said with a smile as Sora sat down next to him. The brunet grinned as Axel muttered something about sappy boys.

"Zexion offered me a job as Denzel's liaison!" Sora mentioned.

"What's that?" Axel asked.

"Zel's moving in with a new family in a week or so, and the organization needs people to make sure it's a smooth ride. I'm supposed to talk to the family about helping abused children feel safe, and talk to Zel about making sure he gives his family a chance. He had a bad experience with the last family," Sora explained. Riku wrapped an arm around his boyfriend.

"You'll be perfect for that," he said kindly, kissing Sora's neck.

"That's what Zex said," Sora replied. "So we have any food here?"

"We _had _a pizza, but it was devoured about an hour ago. You hungry?" Sora nodded, pulling Riku up.

"I think ice cream would be good right now," he said, wrapping his arm around Riku's waist and hugging his boyfriend close. Riku smiled.

"Got it. Do you want to walk or take my car?" Sora shrugged.

"Let's just walk, cars are crazy-hot in this weather. I thought I was going to be baked alive driving over here with Zex."

"Hey, hey, HEY!" Demyx yelled from the water. "BRING US SOME TOO!" Riku snorted and gave the boy a thumbs up sign, then turned with Sora and began walking towards the street. They walked in silence for a few minutes until Sora opened his mouth, a small frown on his face.

"There's something I wanted to ask you, Riku...You can say 'no' if you don't want to and I don't want to make you feel as if you _have _to go or anything...I just, I really want someone there and Zexion says he shouldn't go and that I should ask someone else and I thought that maybe...maybe..." Riku stopped walking and turned Sora towards him, hugging the brunet close with his right arm and tilting Sora's chin up with his left. The track star's bright blue eyes shifted away from his boyfriend's face.

"Sora, what is it?" Riku asked softly. Sora sighed.

"I...Well, the organization has me scheduled to meet with my father in two days, it's part of their recuperation plan or something, but I don't want to go alone."

"Of _course_ I'll come, Sora. I wouldn't even think of letting you do that by yourself," Riku said seriously. Sora smiled.

"Really? You'll come?" Riku rolled his eyes.

"I'll be there with you, Sora. I promise," the silver-haired boy swore. He bent down and gave Sora a chaste kiss, just long enough to feel that Sora had relaxed a bit, and then pulled away. "We can meet up and hour or so earlier if you want and hang out until we have to be at the prison. Does Leon have to be there too?" Sora nodded.

"He has to sign me in, but he won't be allowed to see my father because he's my new legal guardian or something...I really don't understand that part, but...thanks for coming with me," he said sincerely. Riku let his arm fall from Sora's shoulders and clasped his hand instead.

"You don't have to thank me. I'm glad to go with you. Actually, I thought you would have asked Zexion, Cloud, or Roxas to go," Riku commented. Sora shook his head.

"Roxas would just get really angry at my father and start yelling and swearing at him, and Cloud would have sat there glaring at my dad the whole time, and Zexion told me before I had even asked him that he really wasn't up for it." Riku raised his eyebrows and Sora continued. "Zexion just visited his own father about a week ago...It didn't go so well..." Sora trailed off.

"Oh yeah, Demyx told me something like that too," Riku commented. "But Zex has always been a bit confused as to what he feels for his father. He used to talk with me about it more before he met Dem and you started living with him, though. Not that I mind....those conversations were always downers." Sora gave a soft smile and then shook his head.

"It's too nice out to have such a depressing conversation. Plus, we're going to get _ice creeeeaaam!_" he exclaimed, tugging Riku behind him as he sped up and began moving in the direction of the nearest ice cream shop. The silver-haired boy smiled at the shorter boy clutching his hand, hurrying to keep up.

…....

Roxas dragged himself out of the water, coughing up what felt like half his organs and a lungful of saltwater while Axel laughed hysterically at his side.

"You're an asshole, has anyone ever told you that?" Roxas said once his coughing subsided. Axel knelt down next to the blond, whispering in his ear.

"Only every day, honey." Roxas sneered, standing up and turning away from the redhead. "Oh come on, Rox," Axel said, following the shorter boy. Roxas turned and glared, but waited until Axel caught up with him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling Roxas close.

The summer was going well for everyone. Sora had been volunteering at the Twilight Town Risk Center, which was essentially a hospice and home for abused and neglected children, since school got out, and Zexion joined him as an administrative worker a week or so later. Roxas had a part time job as a busser on Destiny Island, although his schedule was pretty much whenever he felt like working, which was rarely. Axel hadn't had a job in all nineteen of his years on earth and it didn't look like that would be changing anytime soon, but Roxas didn't care because it meant he could spend as much time with the redhead as possible before Axel left for college. Demyx was working in a music shop full time, except he got the weekends and Mondays off unless there was some big CD release and the shop needed an extra pair of hands. All in all, everyone was busy and content.

The trials had all gone by quickly and as expected. There was so much evidence against Marluxia, Saix, and the other minions from past files and searches that putting them away for kidnapping was the least of their worries. Roxas wasn't worried about seeing any of them again. Roy and Caroline's trial had been hard to get through for Sora, but their sentence was fifty years for child abuse and neglect. Sora requested that they were retained in the Twilight Town Corrections Center so he could visit them, although he could only visit once every two weeks, and only with at least one other person. Sephiroth was tried for kidnap and rape, was found guilty of both accounts, and sentenced to fifty years. In order to keep him locked up for life, Cloud decided to press charges for the knee injury he suffered by Sephiroth's hand. The trial was in two months, and Sephiroth didn't stand a chance.

After Cloud and Roxas's father had come home there had been a long discussion about him working out of the state. Roxas reluctantly explained the _whole _situation between him and Marluxia, the rape, and the STD test, which had been news to Cloud as well. After Sora's story had been mentioned, and Cloud's story, the eldest Strife instantly decided to work locally until Roxas was through high school. The conversation, explaining the drugs and rape to his father and brother, had probably been the most awkward and embarrassing thing Roxas had ever witnessed in his entire life. He wasn't really torn up about it anymore, thanks to Axel and Sora's support, but explaining to his father that he had been raped as an eighth-grader was really not so fun. His head was buried in Axel's chest for most of the conversation, though, the redhead's arms wrapped securely around his shoulders, so Roxas was spared the surely furious facial expressions. He wasn't spared the furious yelling.

Axel look down at his boyfriend as they walked up the beach, noticing the blush on Roxas' face.

"What are _you _thinking about?" he asked nudging the blond in the ribs with a wink. Roxas shoved him right back.

"God, get your head out the fucking gutter, Axel. I'm not think about _anything," _Roxas snapped, stepping over Demyx's towel and walking over to where his own towel was spread out on the sand.

"Yeah right. I think you were thinking about me doing...this..." Roxas' eyes snapped open wide as Axel grabbed him and all but threw him down, straddling his waist and slamming their lips together. The blond was too stunned to move until Axel shoved his knee in between Roxas' legs and his tongue in Roxas' mouth. He moaned, looping his thumbs through two of Axel's belt loops and pulling their hips closer together. Axel's sharp gasp caught Zexion's attention, and the senior shook his head.

"Come on, Axel, grow up. There's a fucking five-year-old eating ice cream over there," he pointed out. Roxas smirked as Axel's mouth trailed down his neck.

"Really? Sora's back already?" he asked with a small laugh.

"No. A _real _five-year-old, jackass. Stop making out with your boyfriend." Axel rolled off Roxas and the blond curled into him so Axel's chest was pressed to Roxas's back, the rehead's arm draped over his boyfriend's hip.

"Sure, we'll stop making out, Zexy," he said, as his hand slipped into Roxas' swim trunks and his mouth twitched into a smile. Zexion turned away, making a gagging noise.

"Don't look Dem, they're fucking rabbits."

"Ya know, rabbits are supposed to be so happy because they get to like, have sex all the time. I think rabbits are cool."

"Oh my god. I don't believe this. My boyfriend is talking about rabbit's sex habits, while Roxas is getting a fucking hand job five feet away from me!" Zexion explained pressing his face into the towel he was lying on and groaning.

"You're just...ohfuckAxel...jealous, Zexion," Roxas breathed, throwing his head back...

* * *

And that's where I stopped. This epilogue, although I like some of the ideas I had for it, just wasn't flowing together right. Still, I hope some of you enjoyed reading it.

Keep reading for the first part of Zexion's story:

A/N: this is just the beginning of Zexion's story about his year with his abusive father. It takes place the year before Sora's story, TS. Sora, Rox, and the Destiny Island track team are in the story as minor characters, as they didn't have much involvement during Sora and Rox's freshman year. Also...this little blurb is not edited and not revised. Please ignore any mistakes!

I would like all of you to respect that this story is my idea and not rip it off. Even though I won't be writing it in the near future, I'm still interested, so please...don't steal it! Thanks.

* * *

**For Her (Tentative Title)**

**Life After Death**

The last white rose was placed on the coffin, and Zexion watched with blurry, red-rimmed eyes as it was lowered into the ground. It was customary for the family to put the first shovel-full of dirt over the coffin, but both Zexion and his father had declined. Zexion especially wanted no part in burying his mother six feet into the ground.

He dropped his head as his father placed a strong hand on his shoulder; he could feel the trembling fingers through his black suit. She would never see the sky again...the sky that she so adored, the sky that reflected the color of her eyes. Zexion blinked back tears and leaned into his father's chest, holding back a sob.

"We'll get through this together, son. We'll make it by ourselves," Xemnas said with a saddened look. Zexion couldn't even bring himself to nod in agreement. How would they survive without her? How could they keep going? The blue-eyed teen looked over at the coffin that was nestled comfortably in the ground. He had a sudden, strong urge to leap into the hole and lay down with her. _Let them bury me. Please, let them bury me, _he thought, looking towards the three men who stood nearby with shovels, waiting for Zexion and his father to leave so they could finish their work and go home for the night.

Father and son stood in silence for several more minutes, each staring at the coffin, with the five or six roses placed on top of it. Zexion wished he had a mountain of roses for his mother...a million rose petals to scatter around her grave, a thousand glossy green leaves and stems, thorns and all. The hand on his shoulder gave a quick, but comforting squeeze, and then fell away.

"We should be going. There's still a few things we need to do today," the silver-haired man pointed out. Zexion nodded in silence, and there was a pause between the two of them. "Zexion, don't worry. We'll pull through, we're strong. We'll recover."

_Liar._

:::::::::

Zexion coughed into his hand several times, then sitting up in bed and coughing harder. His throat began to burn and constrict, and Zexion had to run to the bathroom and gulp down water to keep from choking. He raised his hands to his throat, turning the light on and looking into the mirror. The bruises were ugly, and horribly pronounced. It would be a scarf day.

"Hello? My name is Zexion," he whispered, testing to hear how his voice sounded. It was rough and raspy, sounding exactly like he had been half strangled recently. His right eye was still slightly bruised, and Zexion brushed his hair down in front of it to hide the marks and the small amount of swelling that still remained. With a sigh, Zexion gently splashed water on his face and then washed it, avoiding his right eye and letting the warm cloth rest on his abused neck for a few moments, enjoying the heat and taking deep breaths to open up his airways. With luck, his throat would stop hurting in a few hours, as long as he didn't talk much.

Zexion walked from the bathroom, tip-toeing around his father's room just in case the man had managed to actually fall asleep in his own bed for a change, and entered his own room again. The walls were plain white, and completely bare. He and his father had moved several months ago, but it didn't feel like home, and Zexion figured he shouldn't waste time trying to _make _it feel like home. Home was...home was wherever his mother was now. Not here.

He carefully selected a long-sleeve shirt, one of his many scarves, and a long pair of pants. He looked in his mirror to make sure everything matched, and to make sure the clothing covered all the bruises. When he had packed his backpack, Zexion walked into the kitchen. Before he started making lunch for himself, he peered into the living room.

Apparently his father hadn't made it to the bed last night. Xemnas was lying on the couch, sprawled out and drool dripping slowly from the corner of his mouth. Zexion didn't need to look at the floor to know there were several bottles scattered around the couch. _He needs help. I need to help him, _Zexion thought, looking to a small picture of his mother that rested on the counter. _For her._

**Ch. 2 – Untitled **

Riku threw a wadded up piece of paper at his friend; it hit him in the head. Zexion looked up from his math with a raised eyebrow and Riku leaned over.

"You okay, Zexion? You seem...quiet today," he pointed out. Zexion shrugged, shaking his head.

"I'm fine," he whispered back, "Just a little tired. English paper last night..." Riku winked.

"Me too. What'd you write yours on?"

"Roman Empire."

"I'm fucked," Riku moaned, turning back to his own math. Zexion gave his friend a rueful smile, but didn't reply other than returning to his assignment. Riku rolled his eyes and turned to Axel on his other side. The redhead was already paying attention to his two friends, staring at Zexion with a frown. When he caught Riku's eye, Axel jerked his head in Zexion's direction.

"What's up with Zex?" he whispered. Riku shrugged.

"No clue. You should help me finish my english paper over lunch."

"Dude, I was going to ask you to help me finish _mine_," Axel whined, and Riku slammed his head on the desk in exasperation. The teacher looked up at the noise and snapped at the junior and sophomore to be quiet.

Zexion skipped lunch, taking a walk around the school instead, as sophomores weren't allowed to leave the campus without parental consent. His throat was still bothering him, and he knew from experience that if he ate anything now it would be sore until dinner. After ten minutes of aimless walking, Zexion slumped down on the school's bleachers overlooking the track and football field. He hadn't been lying when he told Riku he was tired. He had finished his english paper last night, but then spent an hour or so at his father's mercy after Xemnas had come home from Duggan's Pub, or wherever he had been.

It had been three months since his mother's death. The first three weeks had been fine, aside from the tremendous amount of grief that seemed to coat the walls of their home. It was during the fourth week that Xemnas had started drinking again; a desperate attempt to stop grieving if only for an hour or two. From there, Zexion noticed his father going out almost every night and coming home early in the morning, if at all. Even so, it was only after two weeks of heavy drinking that Xemnas began raising his fists...

* * *

...to be continued....maybe...

Thanks for reading!

-The Wykkyd


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